Only Time
by BullDemon
Summary: Dr. Fraiser joins SG-1 on a mission to an abandoned world that's harboring a dark secret.
1. Chapter 1

Howdy folks. Well, it's finally done. I honestly don't remember when I first started to write it, but it's been at least 2 years in the making. It's a beast, wrapping up just shy of 300 pages, so I'll dole it out a little at a time. There are slow parts and fast parts and parts that are somewhere in between.

I've rated it T for some blood, emotional angst, and a few bad words. There's also some innuendo and naughty humor thrown in for good measure. It's a team story, with hints at Jack and Sam, but nothing beyond what was explored in the show.

I want to thank both Kaidromeda and Flatkatsi for being my beta readers. Any remaining mistakes are mine. I don't own the rights to SG-1 or any of the characters within the franchise. I haven't made any money writing this, and I'm pretty sure the frustration of writer's block has taken several years off my life. This story would have been done much sooner if it hadn't been for the frequent snags in my imagination. Well, that and the horrible addictive nature of 'Angry Birds…'

So, with that said…read, enjoy, and review if you can. I'll try to update every Sunday.

Bull Demon (aka Bandersnatch)

* * *

><p>Only Time<p>

* * *

><p>The mid-May sun hung low on the western horizon, its warm light slowly fading as it began to sink behind the rocky peaks of the Colorado skyline. Late day traffic jammed the streets and highways as the locals hurried home, eager to start their weekend routines. Hardly a thought was given to the large Air Force complex that slept beneath one of the city's mountains, nor to the specifics of the work that the men and women did behind its closed and guarded gates. Little did they know that just below their feet sat one of the military's greatest secrets, and perhaps the planet's most important asset.<p>

* * *

><p>General George Hammond looked down at the array of paperwork spread out before him, taking in the many images, datasheets, and reports. Around the large table sat the four members of Stargate Command's flagship team, SG-1, each with their own collection of various notes and photos. He selected an aerial shot of a densely foliated forest and considered it for a moment before speaking.<p>

"Tell me again why you had to send a UAV to this location?"

"Because it appears that the Stargate is located on a narrow ridge of a mountain just above the tree line," Major Samantha Carter explained. She sorted through her pile of photos, stopping at one that showed a downward view of a rather abrupt, rocky slope. "The MALP was only able to travel about 150 feet from the gate platform before the descent became too steep. We sent the UAV out to get a better look at the surrounding area."

"Why would the Goa'uld put a Stargate in such a dangerous place?"

"Stargates were often transferred to locations of tactical advantage," Teal'c, the team's resident Jaffa replied. "The apex of a mountain would optimize visibility, while providing little cover for invading troops to gather."

A bemused snort came from the man seated to Hammond's left. Colonel Jack O'Neill, the team's leader, looked up from the notepad where he'd been doodling. "And here we thought it was smart putting ours _inside_ a mountain."

Hammond allowed a small grin to appear on his face. To think Jack wasn't paying attention to the briefing would have been a mistake. The seasoned soldier just chose to focus on information pertinent to the tactical aspects of the mission and filter out the rest. This, however, didn't stop him from throwing out a stray comment now and then, be it appropriate or not. "What about recent Jaffa activity?"

"No, sir," Sam said. "There's no indication of Jaffa activity in the vicinity of the gate or the area surveyed by the UAV."

"There's no indication of any activity at _all _in the areas surveyed."

"What do you mean, Dr. Jackson?"

"There are no signs of human activity anywhere in the region," Daniel replied, his gaze focused on the pictures fanned out in front of him. "No plowed fields, no irrigation, no cleared land for livestock or housing. Based on these images, I'd say the area – if not the entire planet – was deserted a _very _long time ago. Look at this." He held up one of the photos.

"What is it?" Hammond asked, looking at what he assumed to be a large scrubby bush intertwined with thorny vines and broad, waxy leaves.

"The DHD."

Jack's eyebrows rose in interest. "Looks like someone's been using Miracle Gro."

"It would appear the DHD has not been used for a significant amount of time," Teal'c rumbled.

Sam reached out and took the photo for a closer look. "Maybe the inhabitants live on the other side of the planet. They might not even know it exists."

"I doubt it," the archeologist replied. "On every world we've been to so far, the gate platform and the DHD have always been clear. Someone always knows of its existence, even if it's just part of the cultural lore."

"You gotta keep things tidy," Jack muttered, going back to his drawing. "One never knows when their snaky, overdressed god and his minions will drop by…"

"Actually, Jack, that's just what I was about to say," Daniel said. "Even on planets protected by the Asgard, the gates were kept clear. I think it came down to the people never knowing when their particular "god" might pay them a visit."

Teal'c inclined his head in agreement. "A unkempt Stargate would be seen as a sign of disrespect. The people would be severely punished."

"General, if there hasn't been activity around the gate for as long Daniel says, than it sounds like this trip might be a wash."

"Not necessarily, Colonel," Sam piped up before Hammond had the chance to form a reply. "Even if the planet doesn't yield any technological or cultural information, we should at least do a standard plant, mineral, and soil survey. It may turn out to be a source for Naquadah or Trinium. At the very least, we may be able to add it our list of inhabitable planets for relocation."

"And there's also this." Daniel held up another photo for them all to see. It was an enhanced aerial shot of a small, boxy shape nearly hidden from view by a patch of dark green trees. While it wasn't much to look at, the object was clearly manmade. "It's a fairly large building located at the base of a massive mountain about 15 miles west of the Stargate. Now other then the gate itself, it's the only sign that there were people on P4J-592 at one time."

"An abandoned mining camp perhaps," Teal'c suggested.

"Or it could be a shrine, or a mausoleum, or…"

"Someone's collection of old tin cans and dirty socks," Jack muttered.

Daniel resisted the urge to kick his teammate under the table. He knew Jack was a man of action, preferring to chase down Jaffa than baby-sit for a survey or dig. Long periods of inactivity made him cranky and bored, and he wasn't bashful about letting the people around him know it. He decided to try changing tactics. "Or, who knows? It could even be a really cool weapons storage bunker."

Jack gave him a wry grin. "Nice try, Danny, but I think this sounds like a good mission for SG-5."

"I agree," Hammond said, holding up his hand when Daniel started to protest. "However, SG-5 is currently off world on another assignment and won't be back for several days. Therefore, I'm authorizing a 72-hour reconnaissance of P4J-592. Are there any questions?"

"No, sir," Sam replied, answering for everyone.

"Good. You're scheduled to leave tomorrow at 0800. Have a good evening people. Dismissed."

"Daniel," Jack said once Hammond had retreated to his office. "You do realize you're setting yourself up for a major let down."

"What do you mean?"

"You just seem to be getting kinda excited about something that's probably not even there."

"I always get excited about going off world," Daniel said, pushing his glasses up on his nose. "Especially an opportunity like this. I mean think about it, Jack. We might be the first people in literally _hundreds_ of years to set foot on this planet. Isn't that even the least bit exciting to you?"

"Of course it is. I just tend to take things as they come and not anticipate finding greatness ahead of time."

"He's right, Daniel," Sam agreed. "What looks like a building from miles in the air may turn out to be a pile of rubble."

"Indeed. It is also likely any items of value were pilfered long ago," Teal'c added.

Daniel knew his friends meant well, but their words did little to curb his enthusiasm. He was an archeologist, and items seen as worthless to others were often priceless to him. Every trip through the gate was an opportunity to find another piece of the complex puzzle that was life and to help justify man's ultimate role in the cosmos.

"Value depends on perspective," he argued. "A pile of rubble to you may be a treasure trove of artifacts and information to me."

"Of that, I have no doubt," Jack uttered, having suffered through countless hours of watching the younger man sift through wreckage for minuet traces of a long lost civilization.

Hammond appeared in the doorway of his office. "Colonel, can I see you for a moment?"

"Yes, sir," Jack replied, stuffing his paperwork into a folder. Sam gave him a questioning look to which he could only shrug. The general could want to see him for any number of reasons. He addressed his team as he stood. "Get some rest, campers. We have a long walk ahead of us tomorrow."

* * *

><p>He found Hammond seated at his desk.<p>

"Come in, Jack. Have a seat."

_Jack…_ He thought as he settled into a chair across from his commanding officer. _I guess this won't be overly bad news…_

"I realize low-risk reconnaissance missions aren't your favorite kind of assignment."

"Not exactly, sir," Jack admitted candidly. There was no use in hiding the truth; Hammond already knew how he felt. "But it's not the recons that get to me, it's the surveys. A guy can only fill so many little glass bottles with dirt and pebbles before his eyes start to gloss over."

Hammond chuckled. "I can imagine. But you can't expect to save the planet on every trip."

"I know."

"Jack, despite what I said during the briefing, there is another reason I chose P4J-592 for your next assignment."

Jack's eyebrow rose. "Is there?"

"Yes. Dr. Fraiser has requested some time off world to evaluate several new pieces of equipment in the field. I thought she might enjoy going out with you and your team, so when the preliminary assessment of 592 came back as low-risk, it seemed like a perfect match. Assuming you're willing to take her along."

The colonel's demeanor went from suspicious to agreeable in an instant. "Yeah. We'll take Doc off world," he said. "No problem."

"Good. I figured you would, but I wanted to check with you first just the same."

"It's a three day trip – what about Cassie?"

"Cassie is joining my daughter and two granddaughters on a trip up to Denver for a few days to visit the zoo and aquarium. The timing of the trip makes this opportunity work out even better."

"Sounds like fun," Jack replied, recalling the amazement on Teal'c's normally stoic face the first time he, Daniel, and Sam had taken him to the zoo. Even better were the photos he had of the large man gazing up at an elephant with a rare look of awe in his eyes.

"I'm sure there'll be plenty of stories and pictures to share," Hammond said. "That's all I have for today, Jack. I'll get these briefing notes down to Dr. Fraiser just as soon as I'm…"

Jack rose from his chair. "Oh, please, sir. Allow me."

"All right." He passed him the mission folder. "Have a good evening, colonel."

"You too, sir," Jack called back over his shoulder as he hurried out of the room.

Hammond just shook his head and sighed as he went back to his stack of paperwork, wondering what to make of the mischievous twinkle that had appeared in the other man's eyes.

* * *

><p>"Keep it clean and covered, and we'll see how it looks in a few days," Dr. Janet Fraiser instructed as she put the finishing touches on the bulky bandage around her patient's hand. "And might I suggest wearing gloves when you try to do something like that again?"<p>

"Yes, ma'am," Sergeant Siler replied with a sheepish look. "Thank you." Cradling his well-wrapped hand against his chest, he hurried out of the infirmary, nearly plowing into one of nurses. "Sorry," he muttered, and disappeared around the corner.

Janet just shook her head. For a walking disaster, Siler was a damn good mechanic. He could fix almost anything, and when he couldn't, it usually meant the item was beyond repair.

_At least officers like him mean job security for me…_ She thought as she began collecting the materials she'd used to patch up Siler's hand. Through the open door, she could hear someone whistling as they walked down the hall. She didn't recognize the tune at first, but as the person grew closer it became quite clear. She smiled. There was only one person that would walk around whistling the theme song from _The Simpsons_.

"Colonel O'Neill," she greeted as the tall, silver haired man stepped into her domain.

"Evening, doc. What'd Siler do to himself this time?"

"He was changing a light bulb and it shattered in his hand."

Jack cringed. "Ouch!"

"You can say that again. Took me almost an hour to remove all of the glass fragments. He's lucky though – he could have done some serious nerve damage if the glass had gone any deeper."

"He'll shake it off," he said with casual confidence. He nodded at the items balanced in her arms. "You busy?"

"No, sir. I'm just cleaning up, actually. Give me half a second and I'll be right with you."

As Janet darted off with her armload of supplies, Jack sat down on the nearest bunk. The large room was quiet, none of the beds occupied by sick or wounded soldiers. He'd been a guest of the infirmary enough times to know such peace was rare, and that in all likelihood it wouldn't last the night.

He set down the folder he was carrying and picked up small magnifying glass from an assortment of instruments on a tray beside the bed. It had a powerful lens, and he could easily see every nick and scratch on his well-calloused hands.

Janet returned from the supply closest to find him still scrutinizing his palm. "What can I do for you, colonel?" she asked, chuckling when he looked up with the magnifying glass still posed over one eye.

"Nothing, really," he replied, returning the device to the tray. "Just thought I'd stop by and see how things were going."

"Oh, well…" The petite doctor was taken aback for a moment. The colonel wasn't the type of person just to 'stop by' the infirmary, even when it was made mandatory by the general. "Everything's fine. A little quiet at the moment, as I'm sure you noticed."

"I did. It's kind of nice."

"Yes, it is," she agreed, still wondering where things were headed. Silence fell between the two officers and she smiled awkwardly. "Are you sure you're okay, sir? I have time if you need…"

"Nope. I'm good," he said, standing up and wandering toward the exit. "Great, in fact. Just got back from a briefing and the kids and I are shipping out tomorrow morning at 0800."

"Sounds like fun."

Jack shrugged. "It's just a low-risk recon. Carter and Daniel are excited about it, and Teal'c, well, you know how he gets about that sort of thing."

"And you?"

"I'll find something to keep myself busy. If pestering Daniel gets old, maybe I'll find a small pond with some big fish in it."

"Well, good luck, sir, and be careful out there."

"Thanks, doc," he said and disappeared out the door.

Janet stood where she was, trying to figure out what happened. Jack's uncharacteristic visit had her wondering if she should have insisted on looking him over, but then decided just to write it off as one of his many quirks. As she turned to go back to work, she noticed a folder on the bed where he'd been sitting. Grabbing it, she hurried out into the hall, hoping to catch him before he'd gone too far.

"Colonel! Wait!" she called, spotting him at the elevator. She caught up to him just as the doors were opening. "You forgot something."

Jack took the folder and flipped it open. "Nope, not mine. Must be yours." He held it out for her to take.

"No, sir. It can't be mine. It's a mission folder."

"I know," he said, using his hand to keep the elevator door from shutting.

"What would I need a mission report for?"

"Because you're going on a mission."

"What? No, I'm not." Janet's confusion was quickly becoming concern for her fellow officer's well being. "Sir, I'd like you to come back to the infirmary with me. I think you need…"

Jack gave her a look of infinite patience. "Hammond said you've been asking for some time off world."

"I have."

"And you have childcare for Cassie for a few days."

"I do."

"Well, a low-risk recon has come up, and he thinks it would be a good chance for you to tag along."

"Didn't you say SG-1 was going on a low risk recon?"

"Ah-huh." He watched the doctor's expression slowly change as she began to put everything together.

"So…I'm going with you?" she asked slowly. "Tomorrow?"

"Yep. If you want to."

"Of course I want to go!" she exclaimed. "Why couldn't you have just told me that in the first place?"

"And miss an opportunity for a little fun? C'mon, doc, you know me better than that." The colonel treated her to one of his brilliant smiles.

The doctor shook her head and grinned. "I should have known."

"All the information you need should be in that report. Be on the ramp and ready to go by 0800." He stepped inside the waiting elevator and keyed in his destination. "And try to pack light – it's a 15 mile hike to our target."

"Yes, sir. I'll be ready. And thank you."

"Not a problem," he said as the doors began to close. "Have a good evening, Doc."

"You too, colonel," Janet replied. Left alone in the quiet hall, she looked down at the folder in her hands. She didn't get to go off world often, and when she did it was usually an emergency. The chance to visit another planet without the chaos of battle or urgency of a rescue was long awaited, and she was thrilled to get the chance. Tucking the report under her arm, she headed for the privacy of her office. She had reading to do.


	2. Chapter 2

In my haste to start getting this thing posted, I failed to mention what season it takes place in. It's set near the beginning of Season 3, before the episode "Learning Curve." Hope everyone is enjoying it so far. Thanks for reading.

Bull Demon (Bandersnatch)

* * *

><p>The following morning found Janet ready and waiting at the base of the ramp with a full 20 minutes to spare. Daniel and Sam soon joined her, the two scientists eagerly discussing what they hoped to find on the other end of the wormhole. Teal'c arrived next bearing his long staff weapon and an expression of stoic neutrality. Jack was the last to appear, fiddling with the brim of his cap as he approached the group.<p>

His gaze immediately went to Janet and the bulky green backpack she was wearing. It was larger than the standard issue packs that the rest of the team wore and looked heavy, its numerous pockets and straps loaded with gear. "Did you bring the whole infirmary?"

"No, sir," she replied, having already anticipated his reaction. "Unfortunately, I had to leave the MRI and ultrasound machines behind."

"I thought I told you to pack light?"

"You did, but this is the equipment that I need to test. The backpack is a state-of-the-art design that's supposed to allow medics to carry large amounts of gear efficiently in the field," she explained. "I've also got a new piece of equipment to try out. I want to see if it can stand up to the rigors of gate travel before passing it off to the rescue team."

"Just remember it's a long walk. If you start getting tired…"

"I have already offered Doctor Fraiser my assistance should she require it, O'Neill," Teal'c said.

The doctor smiled up at the dark skinned alien. "For which I am grateful."

"Is everyone all set, colonel?" Hammond's amplified voice echoed in the spacious room.

Jack looked over his shoulder to find the general looking down at them from the Control Room. "We're good to go, sir."

With that, Hammond gave the order to dial up the gate.

"We'll return the UAV just as soon as we get the DHD uncovered, general," Sam called over the mechanical whirring of the Stargate. "It shouldn't take too long."

"At least we don't have to go after it this time," Daniel muttered, tightening the bandana he had tied around his head.

"You still upset over the one we had to pull from a tree a few months back?" Sam asked, unable to stop an amused grin from crossing her face as she recalled the event.

"A little. Falling 20 feet into the arms of a waiting Jaffa isn't my idea of fun," he said indignantly. "Besides, it wasn't so much the fall as it was Jack's rendition of 'Rock a Bye Baby.'"

Jack smirked and began to sing. "'And when the bough breaks, the UAV will fall. And down will come Daniel, UAV and all…' Now what's wrong with that?"

Whatever Daniel said in reply was lost as the last chevron locked and the Stargate burst to life, a massive wave of shimmering blue light exploding outward from the metal ring before settling back into a vertical rippling pool.

Hammond's voice once again filled the room. "SG-1, Dr. Fraiser, you have a go."

"Thank you, general. All right, kids, you heard the man. Let's move out." Jack hopped up onto the ramp and strode toward the gate, his team close behind. He paused just before stepping through, allowing Daniel, Teal'c, and Sam to go first. "You ready?"

Janet stopped and gazed uncertainly up at the undulating event horizon. She had been through the gate less than a dozen times before and it still made her nervous. "Yes, sir."

He clapped her on the shoulder. "You'll be fine," he said and gestured for her to go.

Taking a deep breath, the doctor braced herself for the ride of a lifetime and stepped through.

* * *

><p>Janet emerged on the other side of the gate out of breath and trembling slightly. She had never been fond of roller coasters and was certain that a seven second trip across the galaxy would put even the best of them to shame. Jack appeared at her side a moment later and the gate shut down, plunging them into the sights and sounds of a new, distant world.<p>

The colonel took a moment to visually sweep the area, his P90 raised and ready. His team had spread out and was doing the same, but absence of significant cover left little chance of an ambush. As he lowered his weapon, he got his first good look at the panoramic landscape around him. "Holy view…"

They were definitely on top of a mountain, but there were even larger crags off in the distance. Dense forests covered much of the land with pockets of gray fog marking the location of several small valleys. Large black birds circled nosily overhead as they dove and played in the invisible winds. The faint silhouette of a massive gas giant hung in the azure sky, and two brilliant suns warmed the fresh smelling air.

"It's beautiful," Janet uttered, her gate travel jitters forgotten as she drank in the scenery.

"Talk about a tactical advantage," Jack remarked, swiping the cap from his head when a strong breeze threatened to knock it free. "Ground troops wouldn't have a chance in a place like this."

"A detail not lost on the Goa'uld who inhabited this world," Teal'c said. "It is a remarkable location for the Stargate."

The colonel wandered over to where the MALP sat. It was here the flat ground ended and the mountain slope began. The descent wasn't overly steep for foot traffic, but he could see why the bulky machine couldn't make it more than a few hundred yards from the gate. The tree line sat about half a mile below with no straightforward path over the rocky terrain to get there. He could only hope the going would get easier once they reached the woods, or else it was going to be a very long 15 mile hike.

He left the MALP and joined Daniel who was already filming the alien landscape. "Isn't this great, Jack? I can't get over how big and open it is."

"It's got some nice views, all right," he agreed, taking out his binoculars and focusing on the snowcaps of a distant mountain.

Sam appeared at his side a few minutes later with tufts of leaves clinging to her uniform. "The DHD checks out, sir," she replied, plucking a clump of foliage from her hair. "But I'd like to clear away the brush surrounding it and run a few tests before we try dialing out. If it's really been in disuse for as long as we think, the capacitors could be drained and it might not have enough power to establish multiple connections. If that's the case, then I can request an alternate power source when we dial home to send the UAV back."

Jack blinked. "You lost me after capacitors, but I trust you know what you're doing."

"Yes, sir," she said with a grin.

"Good. Have Daniel help you. Teal'c and I will get the UAV ready to ship back." He made to leave but turned back when the archeologist showed no signs of having heard him. "Daniel?"

"Yeah, Jack?" he asked, completely absorbed in his filming.

"You gonna help Carter prune back the DHD?"

"Yeah, sure, in a second."

"Okay." Jack waited, and again the younger man made no move to put the camera away. "Daniel?"

"Huh?"

"How 'bout now?"

"Be right there."

Jack took his cap off and scrubbed a hand through his short hair. He was about five seconds away from snatching the camera and tossing it into oblivion when Janet came to the rescue.

"I'll help, colonel," she said, retrieving the knife from her belt. "I don't mind. Let him keep filming."

When glaring at the back of Daniel's head didn't have the effect he'd hoped for, Jack sighed and gestured toward the bush encased DHD. "Fine. Have a blast." Grumbling to himself about the usefulness of wayward archeologists, he stalked off to find Teal'c.

_What an interesting trip_ **_this_ **_is sizing up to be…_

* * *

><p>Midmorning found the team deep within the alien woods of P4J-592 and about a third of the way to their destination. After clearing the DHD and sending the UAV back to Earth, they ventured west in search of the building Daniel was so excited to see. It was slow going at first, the downhill trek from the gate platform to the tree line made treacherous by the loose, gravely footing. The forest itself provided yet another obstacle, the thick tangle of overgrowth making travel in a straight line impossible. They pushed and cut their way through over a mile of brush, bramble, and scrub before coming upon a narrow game trail that followed the same general direction they were headed.<p>

Once oriented on the trail, the group fell into a steady rhythm with Jack leading, Teal'c in the rear, and Sam, Janet, and Daniel in between. The mood was relaxed but alert; everyone on the lookout for potential threats and items of interest. They chatted and laughed, enjoying each other's company and the captivating landscape around them.

"It's amazing how many of these trees look like the ones back home," Daniel said, pointing out several different specimens. "Those look like pines, and those are birch…"

"You've see one tree, you've seen them all."

"And wasn't that group of willows we saw earlier amazing?" Daniel asked, pointedly ignoring the colonel's remark.

"They were beautiful," Sam agreed, recalling the grove of tall, slender trees covered with shaggy swathes of bright green leaves.

"It'll be interesting to see if these trees have salicylic acid in their bark like the willows on Earth do," Janet said. "It's a precursor to today's aspirin, so who knows? Maybe these trees produce something medicinal as well."

"I've got the location marked down on the map, so if we need to come back we…whoa!" Daniel came to an abrupt halt when he nearly plowed into Jack back. The other man had stopped suddenly and was looking at something off to his left.

"What is it, sir?" Sam asked quietly, automatically slipping into soldier mode.

He just shook his head, his attention on the bushes beside him. There was something rustling around in the underbrush, but he couldn't see what it was. He could tell it was small, but knew danger came in all sizes. His team stood silent behind him, waiting for his orders. Without needing to look, he knew Sam and Teal'c had their weapons drawn and were ready to defend themselves if necessary. Daniel would have his hand on his sidearm and he was confident Janet would as well.

They watched and waited as the bushes beside them shook and swayed. Whatever it was didn't seem to notice the five people standing nearby, or it just didn't care. At last the creature came shuffling out of the scrub and began to rummage for food through the short grass lining the trail.

It was definitely a bird, its body shaped like a pear with a fluffy, prominent breast and stumpy tail. It stood about two feet tall on chicken-like legs, and was covered in iridescent black feathers. Its beak was long and tan, and the round eyes looked too large for its face.

Jack stared at the animal oddity foraging down by his feet. He watched curiously as the bird pecked at the small fleeing insects in the grass, completely unfazed by their presence.

"This is a little _odd,_" he muttered, the sound of his voice making the creature freeze. Expecting the large bird to take flight or dive for the safety of the bushes, he was taken aback when it turned and looked him square in the eye. "And this is odder still…"

"It doesn't seem to fear us at all," Janet said from behind him.

"Why should it? It's probably never seen humans before," Daniel replied. "As far as it's concerned, we're just a group of strange woodland creatures."

Sam peered around her CO's shoulder to get a better look. "Do you think it can fly?"

"I wonder if it tastes like chicken…"

"Colonel!" she hissed, lightly jabbing him in the ribs.

"Kidding! Just kidding!" he cried quietly, holding his hands up in surrender. He felt something bump his leg and glanced down to see Daniel on all fours taking pictures.

"Except for the feathers, it almost looks like a kiwi…"

"The fruit?"

"No, Jack, not the fruit, the bird. They're from New Zealand."

"You're right, it does," Janet agreed, wishing she'd brought a camera of her own. "Albeit a big one."

Jack shifted uncomfortably under the creature's direct stare, its doe-like eyes seeming to gaze straight through to his soul. "Why is it looking at me like that?"

"It appears to like you, O'Neill," Teal'c rumbled.

"Yeah, well, I'm more of a dog person. How do I get it to stop?"

"Try talking to it," Daniel suggested, still on the ground filming the bird.

"You want me to _talk _to it?"

"It's worth a try, sir," Sam concurred.

"It's a bird," Jack said incredulously. "What do I say?"

"My, what big eyes you have?" the archeologist offered. "I don't know, just try something."

Jack fidgeted with his gloves, unsure what he could say that wouldn't make him sound like a complete idiot. "Um, listen, you're a really nice looking…giant kiwi…bird… thing… but I don't think this is gonna work out. It's not the mixed species thing; it's just that we're from two totally different worlds. Well, maybe they're not _totally _different, but…"

The bird blinked and continued to stare as if listening to every word he said.

"Daniel, this is bull…"

"Keep talking, Jack, you're doing great."

"So says the man who has complete conversations with his fish…" Jack muttered under his breath. He turned back to the bird and flashed it a dazzling smile. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that while it was really nice meeting you, it's time we go our separate ways."

The bird didn't move.

"Okay, time for Plan B," he said, deciding they'd wasted enough time already. There was no way to get around the bird without cutting through the dense brush as its large body was completely blocking the trail. Stepping over it wasn't an option either. With a shrug, he tried clapping his hands, hoping to startle the creature enough to get it moving. "Come on! Beat it! Scram!"

"_Qua-oooonk_!" Excited by the loud noise, the bird flapped its wings and waggled its stumpy tail. "_Qua-oooonk_!"

"Damn it…persistent little twerp, aren't you?" He considered using the butt of his gun to push it off the path, but he didn't want to risk another jab from Sam. Instead he used his toe and gently nudged the bird to the side, enduring its indignant squawks and flapping. "Hey, I tried being nice about this, but you wouldn't listen."

With the bird finally off the path, he motioned his team on. "Come on. Let's get out of here before its buddies show up." As the others filed by, he could see the amused twinkle in their eyes.

_Oh yeah – they're not going to let me forget about this one any time soon…_

The alien bird watched intently as the group marched past it, making small grunting sounds as the colonel walked by. When they had disappeared from sight, it called loudly a few times as if beckoning its new friends to come back. When no one came, the bird ruffled its feathers and resumed foraging for insects as if nothing had ever happened.

* * *

><p>It was late afternoon when the first of P4J-592 two suns set. Long shadows fell over the forest floor, and unseen creatures began their nightly calls. The team had been walking for the better part of the day, having stopped only briefly for lunch. The game trail had taken them nearly 10 miles into the alien woodland before veering off in the wrong direction, leaving them to forge their own path through the dense overgrowth.<p>

Teal'c seized a sizable sapling and tore it free from the ground. He had taken over the front position when they'd left the game path, his superior strength and stamina making him ideal for blazing a trail for the rest of the team to follow. The others helped where they could, but they soon realized it was best just to stay out of the large man's way.

Daniel was stepping over a decomposing log when something in the bushes caught his eye. He knelt and parted the grass. "Teal'c, hold up a second."

Sam appeared at his shoulder. "What have you got?"

"A boot."

"A what?" Janet asked.

"A boot." He gave the tall, gray boot an experimental tug. It didn't move. "Help me." Together they pulled away the bushes, startled by what they uncovered.

"Hey, colonel," Sam called over her shoulder. He was further back on the trail, taking his time negotiating the difficult terrain. "There's something here you need to see."

"If it's another one of those bird things, just nudge it out of the way and keep going."

"No, sir. It's a body."

"A Jaffa."

It was Teal'c's addition that got him moving faster. He quickly caught up with his team and joined in the scrutiny of the fallen Jaffa. "It's been here awhile," he said, not expecting to see a pile of bones and scaly armor.

"It's been here a _long_ while," Janet said. She was carefully examining the remains while Daniel filmed with his camera. "These bones are breaking down. If the climate is as temperate as the vegetation suggests it is, that process can literally take hundreds of years."

Jack's eyebrows shot upwards. "Did you say _hundreds_ of years?"

"Maybe more," Daniel said. "Bone is resilient stuff. In dry climates like the desert they can last indefinitely. It's one of the reasons the Egyptian mummies are so well preserved."

"He's in amazing condition for being out in the open like this," the doctor remarked, manipulating the skeleton in a way that made Jack cringe. "You'd think animals would have torn him apart, or at least tried to carry parts of him off. These bones show no sign of teeth marks at all."

"Can you tell who he served?"

"I cannot, Major Carter," Teal'c replied. "Means of identification within Jaffa ranks are limited to the tattoos worn on the forehead. Unless we locate a First Prime or battle helmet, it is unlikely we will know which Goa'uld he served."

"What about cause of death?"

Janet shook her head. "It's difficult to say, sir. There doesn't appear to be any damage to the armor, but it's too rusted out to say for sure. There are no broken bones and the symbiote's remains appear to be in good shape. If I had to guess, I'd say something internal, maybe blunt force trauma or a stab wound."

A shiver rose up Jack's spine he gazed into the hollow eye sockets of the skull. "All right, so we've got one dead Jaffa."

"At least we know for sure the Goa'uld have been here," Daniel said. "We just need to know why…"

"Why?" Jack echoed dubiously. "Why do the Goa'uld ever go where they…go?"

"To acquire human hosts and slaves," Teal'c answered.

"Or Naquadah and other rare materials," Sam added.

"Right. Okay, so then why did they leave? Did they strip the planet of everything valuable? Were they driven out? Was there a natural disaster or…"

The colonel tuned out the prattling archeologist and glanced at his watch. It was almost 1900. They'd been on the move for over nine hours and his body was starting to protest. His knees didn't like the uneven terrain, and his back was eager to rid itself of the heavy pack it'd been carrying. It was high time they called it a day.

He flicked the cover to his watch guard shut.

"Maybe it was a misdialed address or the gate malfunctioned…"

"Daniel," Jack interrupted, not at all surprised to find the other man still rambling on. "These are all fascinating points you're making, but I'm going to have to insist you leave any further conjectures, hypotheses, and what ifs for later. We're going to start losing daylight here pretty soon, and I'd like to have camp established before it gets dark."

"Yes, Jack," Daniel muttered, and began closing up his camera. He didn't like having his train of thought broken, especially when it came to his work. He didn't argue though; there would be plenty of time to ask the who's, what's, and why's about the planet and the former Goa'uld presence there. _And maybe some more clues to go with it…_

"How much further to do we have to go?" Janet asked. She was beyond ready to shed the hefty medical pack she was carrying, the broad straps having begun to rub her aching shoulders. State-of-the-art equipment or not, 60 pounds of gear was still 60 pounds.

Sam consulted her map and compass. "A little over three miles."

"Let's try to find a suitable place for camp between there and here. Preferably something with less invasive greenery," Jack said, working to remove his foot from a tangle of prickly vines. The plant relinquished its grip after a few good tugs, and he cast the remnants of the offending vegetation over his shoulder with a scowl. "Teal'c, you up for some more bushwhacking?"

The Jaffa inclined his head. "I am, O'Neill."

"Good. Have at it." He watched as the large man began to roughly clear a narrow path through the brush. His strength made short work of the heavy overgrowth, and the glint in his eye suggested he was enjoying every rip, crack, and tear. "Jaffa – never leave home without one."

"It sure beats machetes and hand saws, doesn't it, sir?"

'_Machetes. Haven't swung one of those in a long time, have you, Jack?' _His inner voice asked, the mere mention of the large knives dredging up some rather poignant thoughts and images from his days in Special Ops. _Best not to go there…_

"You have no idea, Carter," he sighed, making a conscious effort to force the memories back where they belonged. "We'd better get moving."

"Yes, sir," the two women echoed and started down the roughed out trail.

Jack made to follow when he noticed Daniel still crouching by the skeleton, staring at something in the bushes. "You coming, Daniel?"

"Huh? Oh, right. Yeah." The archeologist stood awkwardly, his attention still on the bushes in front of him. "I just thought I saw something…" His words dropped off as he pushed past his friend and waded into the chest high scrub. He looked around, positive he'd seen something glinting in the undergrowth.

"Boat's leaving, Daniel."

"I'm coming, Jack," he replied, disappointed. _I suppose it's just the fading light playing tricks…there! _He practically dove into the bushes, pushing the unruly plants to one side. "Jack! Wait! I found another one!"

"Another skeleton?" Sam asked, as she and Janet hurried to join him.

He fumbled to get his camera from his pocket. "Yeah – another Jaffa. And this one's missing his head…no, wait, there it is."

Janet knelt to inspect the remains, paying careful attention to where the head once joined to the neck. The severed vertebrae were splintered and crushed. The head hadn't been cleanly severed; it'd been hacked off with something primitive and dull. "I can give you a fairly accurate cause of death on this one, sir."

"Thanks, doc, but I think even I can figure this one out," Jack replied, trying not to look at the skull nesting in the grass several feet from the rest of the body.

"This one looks like it's in good shape, just like the other one," Sam noted. "This planet must not have many large predators."

"Unless you count that super-sized kiwi thing."

"Colonel, I doubt a bird could…"

"O'Neill!" Teal'c's booming shout resonated through the trees. "I have discovered more bodies."

Daniel's eyes lit up behind his glasses. "Did he say 'bodies'?"

The group quickly made their way to the front of the path where they found Teal'c surrounded by three piles of bones and armor. "They appear to have been struck down while retreating."

"I think you're right, Teal'c. You can see the scorch marks on the backs of their armor," the doctor agreed. She motioned for Sam's help and together they removed the heavy material and pushed aside the chain mail beneath. "The bones are burnt too. Both are indicators of a close range staff blast."

"They must have been fighting over something pretty good for them to shoot it out in close quarters," Sam said. She rocked back on her heels in preparation to stand when she felt something prod her in the back. Expecting it to be some form of forest floor litter, she was surprised to find the heel of a boot just visible in the grass. "Ah, colonel, I think just found another one."

Daniel helped her push aside the bushes. "Yep. You did." He poked his toe at something partially hidden in the weeds. "There's a broken staff weapon here too."

Jack frowned in thought. This was turning out to be more than just a defunct mining operation or slave round up. Something big had definitely gone down here. "All right, let's fan out and do a quick search of the area. See how many more we can find."

The group fell into a search pattern and began their macabre egg hunt. Calls of "here!" and "got one!" conveyed discoveries between teammates, and the death count steadily rose. Jaffa lay dead by the dozens, having fallen in battle that was fought centuries ago.

Jack paused in front of a particularly mangled skeleton. Its right foot was entwined in a jumbled knot of tree roots and its head was bashed in. Several of the Jaffa he'd come across had been dispatched using similar methods; the killers relying on blunt objects rather than projectiles or staff weapons. It wasn't a style of fighting he'd come to associate with the Goa'uld, and it was starting to look like there might be another party involved.

He looked up at the dimming sky and then checked his watch. In less than half an hour, they'd found nearly 40 bodies spread throughout the quarter mile they'd swept. There were likely more hidden just out of sight, but they had burnt enough precious daylight already. He was about to call an end to the search when he heard a startled gasp off to his left.

"You okay, doc?"

"I'm all right, sir, but you're going to want to see this," Janet replied, her tone unsettled.

Jack veered off the line he was following and walked over to see what had spooked the normally unflappable doctor. He pushed through a wall of reeds that looked suspiciously like bamboo and nearly gasped himself when he saw what was on the other side.

The dense forest broke to reveal a partial clearing, an area of low land shrouded by ancient trees. The thick scrub they'd been struggling against thinned to the point of nonexistence, and pockets of dry, tapered grass covered the uneven ground. A narrow river wove its way lazily along the far corner, and moss covered rocks poked shyly out of the weeds. It would have been a tranquil scene if it hadn't been for the clusters of skulls and sun-bleached bones scattered in every direction.

"Now there's something you don't see everyday," Jack uttered. He'd always found viewing battlefield carnage to be difficult, and the fact that the enemy had been reduced to bones and grinning skulls didn't make it any easier. "What the hell happened here, anyway?"

"Nothing good, that's for sure," Janet said, disturbed by the sight. Although she was a soldier in the Air Force, she'd always thought of herself as a physician first. Death of any kind bothered her, especially when the number of casualties was so high.

Both turned abruptly when they heard sudden loud rustling in the bushes behind them. Jack brought his P90 up and waited, his index finger flagging the trigger. Daniel stepped through the thicket a moment later, his hands automatically going up when he saw the barrel of Jack's gun level with his chest.

"Whoa! Jack! It's just me!"

The colonel instantly lowered his gun his heart thudding wildly in his ears. "Jesus, Daniel, give a guy a warning next time, will ya?" he snapped, his adrenaline level plummeting sharply.

"Sorry, Jack. We started to get worried when you two disappeared into the bushes and didn't come…" Daniel noticed the beaded sweat on Jack's brow and Janet's tense expression. "What's wrong?"

Janet turned and motioned toward the clearing. "We found something."

Daniel followed her point, his eyes widening when he saw what lay in the tall grass. Even with all the digs he'd been on, he'd never before seen so many skeletons in one place outside of a museum. _So many dead...Why here? What happened? When…?_

"Colonel?"

Daniel jerked when Sam's shout floated through the reeds. _No wonder Jack was so jumpy…_

"In here, major."

Sam and Teal'c joined them a moment later.

"I was about to try you on the radio, sir, when Teal'c heard voices. What's going on?"

"Doc found a bone yard," he replied. "A big one, too."

"I have not seen one like this in many years," Teal'c said solemnly, his dark eyes drifting over the field.

"You mean you've seen this before?" Sam asked, sickened by the sight.

"Indeed. During my early years in service to Apophis, mass slaughter was often used to display dominance and prevent defiance. Such methods have since fallen out of favor with the System Lords as they were indiscriminant – killing those willing to serve along with those who would not."

Already over his initial fear and disgust, Daniel had his camera out and was wandering through the array of bones, pausing occasionally for a closer look. There were a few Jaffa scattered about, but the majority of the remains differed from what they'd seen earlier. The bodies all pretty much looked the same: average height, clothing made from leather and coarsely woven material, and basic laced footwear. Some had what looked like tools lying beside them, ranging in shape from spade-like shovels to something that looked like a pickaxe.

"Jack, these aren't Jaffa."

"What?"

Janet joined the archeologist in examining one of the bodies. "He's right, sir. They're human." She checked several others, pushing aside their moldy, decomposing clothes to get a look at their midsection. "No symbiote."

"By the look of their clothing and effects, I'd say they were miners and serve…" Daniel cursed as a mechanical chime twittered from his camera. "Battery's dieing. I've got more in my bag somewhere."

"Ah, Daniel," Jack piped up as the younger man started shedding his pack. "We really don't have time for this right now."

"But Jack, this is huge. We need to document it."

"And I agree. But it looks like we've got about an hour of light left and we need to find a place to set up camp. We'll flag it on the map and if we can't get back to it tomorrow, we'll visit on the way home."

For once, Daniel couldn't argue with Jack's logic. It was starting to get dark; the shadows were getting long and new, strange sounding animals were starting to call. He refastened his pack and tucked the camera into his pocket. "All right. I've got a few pictures to go by anyway."

Jack clapped him on the shoulder. "Good man. Now let's find a place to call home, shall we?"


	3. Chapter 3

Camp turned out to be another partial clearing about a mile and a half from the bone yard. The space was fairly open, but there were plenty of trees nearby should the need for cover arise. An offshoot of the river they'd seen throughout the day supplied them with fresh water and an abundance of dry branches to fuel their fire. Most importantly, at least as far as Jack was concerned, there were no skeletons to watch them through hollow, sunken eyes.

The colonel and Teal'c had conducted a brief perimeter sweep while Daniel and the two women pitched tents and cleared away brush for a fire pit. The group was just settling down to a late dinner when the planet's second sun dropped behind the mountains, the darkness encompassing everything except the small aura of light cast by their fire.

Janet tightened her jacket around her shoulders and scooted a little closer to the glowing flames. "It certainly got cold quick."

"The second sun must be the planet's primary source of radiant heat," Sam replied, hugging her warm MRE pouch close to her body. "At least we don't have to contend with the mountain winds."

Across the fire pit, Daniel was curled up around his camera, the light from its small screen reflecting off his glasses.

"Shouldn't you be saving that for tomorrow?" Jack asked, frowning at the concoction that claimed to be beef stew on the package. "I thought you were running low on power."

"No – I brought enough batteries to last a week," the archeologist muttered, focused on the stills and short bursts of video he'd taken at the bone yard. As grisly of a find as it was, he was fascinated by it. He noted a similarity between many of the victims he'd photographed. "These people were definitely executed."

"How you can tell?"

He passed the camera to Janet. "They all have staff weapon burns on their clothing. Plus the way they're all laying together. It looks like they were herded into the clearing and slaughtered."

Jack set aside the remainder of his stew and opened the package of crackers that came with the meal. "This sound like a Goa'uld posturing for dominance to you, T?"

The large man seemed to hesitate. "It does…"

"But…?" Jack prompted around a mouthful of cracker.

"I believe there may be more going on here than what we can currently perceive."

"How so?"

"There are not enough victims."

Sam nearly choked on her food. "Not enough victims? Teal'c, there must be a hundred skeletons back there!"

"I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I think he's right." Daniel unconsciously ducked as if to avoid the dubious look she shot his way. "Think about it, Sam. Had this been a Goa'uld outpost, or a mining operation, or even just a place they used to raise hosts, we'd be looking at a lot more damage. When one Goa'uld attempts to overthrow another and meets resistance, they annihilate the place. Temples are ruined, cities are leveled, and thousands - not just a few hundred - die.

"And you saw the pictures from the UAV. Except for that one building, there were no signs civilization or development at all. Yes, a lot of time has passed since people where last here, but we'd still be able to see where they altered the land for irrigation and agriculture."

He paused, took a breath, and gathered his thoughts. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that whoever was here before didn't intend on staying for very long."

The group fell silent, each chewing over what the archeologist had said. Of course it made sense, but it still didn't answer the two big questions playing on their minds: What had happened and why.

Jack crumpled his cracker wrapper and stuffed it in his bag. It was time to change the subject before Daniel slipped into full lecture mode. If that happened, they'd all be in trouble. "So, what are the plans for tomorrow?"

"I want to visit that building we saw on the UVA photos. It might shed some light on the purpose of this place and the fate of the people," Daniel replied. "And if there's time, do some more filming of the bone yard."

"And I'd like to explore along the base of the mountain that's nearby. It'll be a good place to do a mineral analysis and we might even find an entrance to a cave or mine."

Jack gave an inward groan. _Building inspections and rock surveys...just another fun day at Camp SG-1…all well. Even Hammond admitted this one was going to be a sleeper…_ "Okay, Daniel, you and Teal'c can check out your mystery building. Carter, Doc, and I will spend a fun filled day collecting rocks, stones, and pebbles. Sound good?"

Nods of approval came from everyone in the group. "Now that we have our itinerary in order, I can ask the million dollar question." He turned to address Janet, who still looked cold despite practically sitting in the fire. "Have you ever done a night watch before?"

A small smile appeared on the doctor's lips. She wanted to say yes, she'd done countless overnights while working in the infirmary, including several sleepless ones at his own bedside. She didn't though, deciding Daniel had antagonized him enough throughout the day. "No, sir. Not off world."

"Well this will be a good learning experience for you then. Team up with Carter and she'll show you the ropes. I don't foresee any big problems, but I want to set a normal watch rotation just in case the tree squeaks decide to come out and cause trouble."

"What's a normal rotation for SG-1?"

"We switch off every two hours," Sam explained. "The colonel takes first watch, you and I will go second, Teal'c third, and Daniel almost always gets the last one."

"Why?"

Sam glanced at the quiet alien sitting beside her and lowered her voice. "Teal'c tends to burn the morning coffee. It ruins the pot and…well, you know how cranky the guys can get without their coffee."

Janet's eyebrows rose. That she did.

Jack stood and stretched out his stiffening muscles. The cold air certainly wasn't helping his body forget the long day of rough travel. He zipped his jacket against the chill, and collected his P90 from under his pack. "I'm off to do what colonels do when they head off into the woods alone at night."

"Well, I don't see a fishing pole, so I assume you'll be napping this time around?" Daniel asked innocently.

"You know, I'm starting to think that third shift should have _your_ name instead of Teal'c's. What do you say?"

Daniel held up his hands to signal surrender. He still had much to learn about trying to beat Jack O'Neill at his own game. "Have a nice shift, Jack."

Jack shot the younger man a wry grin and looked toward the perimeter trail he and Teal'c had made earlier.

"Be careful out there, sir."

"Always, Carter," he replied casually. "Careful is my middle name. Isn't it, doc?"

"Ah, well…" Caught off guard by the question, Janet stumbled over what to say. "I suppose…at times you've demonstrated…" She paused for a moment, wondering how to say 'yes and no' without blatantly slighting the man. "You have good and bad days, sir."

Sam snickered, Daniel suddenly became interested in his camera, and Teal'c canted an eyebrow.

Jack drummed his fingers against the butt of his gun in feigned annoyance. _At least she's honest…_

"Get some rest, all of you. It's been a long day and tomorrow will probably be even longer." _Or at least it will seem that way to some of us_... he thought dismally. "I'll see you ladies in a few hours."

He turned on his heel and left the group. About half down to the trail opening, Daniel's voice came floating up through the darkness.

"Happy Trails, Jack!"

The colonel shook his head and grinned.

_Smart ass…_

* * *

><p>The night was cool, clear, and dark. Jack drew in a deep lungful of the chilled air, marveling at how clean it was without the effects of human industrialization to spoil it. All around him, unseen creatures called loudly, their combined sounds creating an eerie orchestra that was both strange and enchanting.<p>

He walked steadily along the crude path, the beam of his flashlight bobbing several feet ahead of him. Once his muscles had warmed up and stretched out, he found himself enjoying the beautiful night. Breaks in the tree canopy offered him a glimpse of the starry sky above, making him long for the telescope he kept on his roof back home. For him, looking at the stars would never get old.

Jack tugged the zipper of his jacket down, releasing the excess heat that had built up underneath. The cool air felt good and helped sharpen his senses. Although he often complained about the cold, he actually preferred it. He supposed growing up in Minnesota had helped thicken his blood; especially with all of the hockey and skiing he'd done as a kid. He'd had a few bad encounters with the cold, the impromptu trip he and Sam had taken to the Antarctic a few years back being the worst. His near death experience aside, he would still chose to be chilly over miserably hot any day.

The trail took a sharp turn to the right. Jack played his flashlight over the ground ahead, the beam catching on something shiny in the grass. He stopped and pushed the foliage out of the way with his foot, revealing the skeletal remains of a long dead Jaffa. The body lay face down, the business end of what looked like a pickaxe buried between its shoulder blades.

_What went down here? _He thought, his gaze fixed on the tool protruding from the warrior's corroded armor. He recalled the conversation they'd had over dinner. It was Teal'c's remark about the lack of victims that bothered him the most. Then there was Daniel's theory that the planet hadn't been occupied for very long before the attack. Having seen several worlds devastated by the Goa'uld in the past, the colonel found himself agreeing with both men.

Jack sighed and continued to pick his way down the path. Trying to piece together the who's, what's, and why's of an ancient fight between pretentious parasites who masqueraded as gods gave him a headache. That was really Daniel's department anyway. Might as well let the boy earn his keep.

A rustling in the bushes up ahead made Jack freeze in his tracks. Although they hadn't found any evidence of people or large predators, it still didn't rule them out. He slowly advanced on the noise, his weapon and light trained in front of him. When the rustling abruptly stopped, Jack froze, watching, waiting, and listening. A series of shrill squeals and grunts rose up from the grass about ten feet away. He cast his light toward the vaguely familiar sounds and nearly burst out laughing at what he saw.

Huddled in the scrub were three of the largest guinea pigs he'd ever seen. Standing about as tall as a housecat, the creatures twitched and shook, their beady eyes gleaming in the bright light. Jack lowered his gun and relaxed a bit, feeling no threat from the cluster of longhaired rodents. Once the pigs realized the tall intruder wasn't going to harm them, they calmed and went back to grazing on the long grass.

Jack smiled. The furry pigs brought back fond memories of a mission he'd been part of in Colombia. The country was as beautiful as it was deadly, but back during his Special Forces days, living, sleeping, and breathing danger had been his thing. His team was on down time in a safe village when they came across a vendor peddling some sort of exotic meat on a stick called "cuy." It was determined after a broken conversation with the merchant that the meat was guinea pig, a local staple.

While most of the men on the team were sickened by the thought alone, it was Charlie Kawalsky that bet Jack fifty dollars to eat one. The fifty quickly rose to three hundred as the other men joined in; each confident the newest member of their team wouldn't do it. That was the first and last time the group ever doubted Captain Jack O'Neill. Four and a half guinea pigs later, the young officer was three hundred dollars richer and had won the acceptance of the other men.

Jack's smile slowly faded as his thoughts rapidly turned toward Kawalsky's untimely death. He could still hear himself shouting for Teal'c to hold the Goa'ulded man inside the active gate's event horizon and then calling for it to be shut down. The collapsing wormhole severed Kawalsky's head, instantaneously killing him and the snake that had taken him host. It was the act that convinced Hammond of Teal'c's loyalty to Earth. It was also the act that cost Jack one of his closest friends.

_And it was my order that simultaneously saved and ended Kawalsky's life…_ The colonel released a shaky breath in a billowy puff of white vapor. _Why do the darkest thoughts always come out when the sun goes down?_

Thankfully, the largest of the three guinea pigs offered a distraction when it shuffled over and sniffed at the toe of his boot. Jack stood motionless and watched, admiring its black and brown coat. When it found nothing of interest, it squealed loudly and marched off into the bushes with its buddies close behind.

Discovering himself alone in the woods, Jack resumed his patrol. As he walked, he worked to corral the loose ghosts from his past and bury them deep within his subconscious. Off world at night wasn't the time or place for second-guessing or regretting decisions made long ago. Especially not when there was a group of people depending on him to keep them safe while they slept.

The thought of his team snapped the colonel back into the present. The past was history; he had to look out for those he cared about now. Readjusting his gun and straightening his hat, Jack stepped up his pace. He had a job to do.

* * *

><p>Janet awoke to the most horrific screeching she'd ever heard in her life. Startled and confused, she struggled to get out of her sleeping bag and find her weapon. Her hand finally closed around the butt of her gun and she flew to the front of the tent. Throwing back the flap, she rushed out to find the others, half expecting to see them engaged in battle with some terrifying new foe.<p>

Using the deafening metallic screeching as a guide, she hurried toward the back half of the clearing. She found the four members of SG-1 grouped together and looking up at the sky. The colonel had his binoculars out, and Daniel was shading his eyes against bright morning sun.

Sam spotted the frazzled doctor and waved her over. "Janet!" she called, shouting to be heard above the fray.

Janet joined the group, her racing heart slowly returning to normal. "What's going on?" She followed her friend's pointing finger to the treetops where dozens of large black birds were raising a ruckus.

"Hell of a wake up call, isn't it?" Jack asked, offering her his binoculars.

"You can say that again," she replied, taking the glasses and focusing in on the birds. They resembled ravens in shape and color except for tufts of brilliant yellow plumage atop their heads. And the noise! The grating sound was becoming so loud she could barely hear herself think. She passed the binoculars back and pressed her hands over her ears. "Ugh! What are they?"

"This planet's version of jays, I think!" Daniel hollered over the din. "They began showing up about an hour ago! They all seemed to erupt into song at once!"

Jack shot him a dubious look. "Song? Is that what this is?"

"It is most unpleasant," Teal'c agreed.

"Well if they're anything like the birds back home, they'll only carry on for a few hours before moving off to feed."

"_Hours_?" For Jack, this tidbit of information was like the proverbial straw. He stuffed the binoculars into his pocket and lifted his P90.

Sam's eyes grew wide. "Colonel! You're going to shoot at them?"

"Not _at _them." He flicked the safety off and fired a short burst of five rounds into the air. Startled by the strange noise, the flock of alien birds took to the sky in a deafening barrage of screeches and screams. The team ducked their heads and covered their ears against the deafening assault. Only when the birds were completely out of sight did they dare lower their hands, the awful cries slowly fading into the distance.

Daniel shook his head to clear his ringing ears. "Nice move, Jack."

"Hey, it beats the alternative," he snapped back, grimacing at the volume of his own voice. He softened his tone when he turned to Janet. "You all right, doc? You looked kinda edgy when you first came out."

"I'm fine, sir," she replied, her shoulders sagging a bit as the adrenaline from the scare started to leave her body. "Those birds just startled me. I thought we were under attack."

"I think we all did," Sam agreed. She and Daniel had been sitting around the fire enjoying the early morning calm when the racket began. Jack and Teal'c had come from the woods on a dead run, their weapons drawn and ready for a fight. Finding the source of the noise had been easy, the large birds swooping and diving playfully above their treetop roost. "It's not the best way to start the day."

With the excitement over, the group started back toward the campsite.

"Ouch!" A sharp pain on the bottom of her foot made Janet stop and look down at her feet. In her hast to get to her friends, she'd forgotten to put her boots on.

"That's why the colonel recommends wearing boots to bed – especially the first night off world," Sam said, speaking from experience.

"I'll keep that in mind," Janet replied, carefully choosing where to put her feet. When they arrived back at camp, she retreated to her tent to get properly dressed. Never before had she been so happy to pull on the stiff combat boots the SG teams wore off world. Slipping into her jacket, she left the tent and joined Sam at the supplies to help with breakfast.

"Feel better?" Sam asked, handing her a stack of MRE's to open.

"Much. I can't believe I did that," the doctor admitted candidly. "I heard that terrible noise and all I could think of was grabbing my weapon and going to help. Pretty stupid, huh?"

Sam activated one of the chemical heater bags and placed a pouch of reconstituted eggs inside. "Actually, no. It's how we're conditioned. And don't tell him I said anything, but the colonel was quite impressed to see you come running with your weapon drawn."

Janet felt her cheeks flush. "I did hang on to a _few_ things they taught me in Basic Training."

The two women chatted amongst themselves while they waited for the rations to heat. It was the alluring smell of fresh coffee that led them back to the fire where the men were seated.

"I'll trade you," Daniel offered, eyeing one of the MRE pouches in Janet's possession as he held out a steaming tin cup.

"And I accept," she replied, taking the cup and inhaling the revitalizing aroma of the dark brew.

When the food and coffee were distributed, the team settled down to eat. Janet watched curiously as Jack pulled a small glass bottle from his pocket and tipped several drops of red liquid onto his eggs before passing it to Teal'c.

Jack looked up from stirring his meal when he sensed her gaze. "Hot sauce. It makes this stuff almost edible. You want some?"

Janet shook her head. "No thank you, sir. I'm not big on the spicy stuff."

The colonel shrugged. "Suit yourself."

They ate in silence for a while, enjoying the feel of fire against the early morning chill. The first sun had risen an hour before, but it was doing little to warm the air. The quiet buzz of insects and gentle chirping of birds provided a peaceful soundtrack to their beautiful surroundings.

"I assume everyone's watches went well?" Jack asked, breaking the silence at last.

"Ours went fine, sir," Sam said. "We saw a few different species of rodents and a small group of what looked like deer, but nothing that appeared threatening."

"My watch also went without incident," Teal'c replied. He'd finished his eggs and moved onto a stick of leathery jerky.

"The first half of mine went fine, and you guys saw what happened during the second half," Daniel said. "I did see another pile of Jaffa remains while walking the perimeter."

Jack looked dismally at the remainder of his eggs and tossed them into the bushes. "Yeah, I did too." He picked up his coffee and fished a blade of grass out with his finger before taking a drink. "And a couple of really big guinea pigs."

The conversation shifted to the day ahead. Janet sat back with her coffee and just watched, enjoying the opportunity to observe the team's intimate interactions. She knew all the SG teams were close; they had to be. Fighting for survival millions of light years from home against a tyrannical enemy tended to necessitate and forge bonds that were close. But SG-1 had always had something special. With its blend of distinct personalities and undeniable support toward one another, the group often functioned more as a family than a team. An atypical family when you considered one of the members was an alien, but a family nonetheless.

With the day's plans in place, the doctor finished her coffee and excused herself from the group. She visited the designated bush – which the colonel had personally chosen the night before - and then went back to her tent to check on her equipment. She dragged the heavy pack over to an open patch of ground and pulled the electronics case free from its strapping. Inside, the new portable vitals monitor nested in its bed of protective foam. It was smaller and lighter then the ones her rescue team currently used, and if the sales claims were true, it would be easier, faster, and more accurate too.

Janet flipped on the power switch and the machine chimed to life. The small black screen lit up with a variety of numbers and the buttons on the control panel began to glow. She took out the various attachments, plugged them in one at a time, and then all at once. Everything looked good so far – the potentially chip-scrambling trip through the gate obviously hadn't affected the electronics. It was when she keyed up the battery information that her hopes for the small machine began to sink.

"Aw, crap…" she uttered under her breath.

"Isn't that usually my line?"

Janet gasped and wheeled around to find Jack standing behind her. It never failed to amaze her how quiet the man could be.

"Colonel," she said, clambering to get to her feet. "I'm sorry, sir, I didn't hear you…"

Never one for formalities, he motioned her back down and nodded at the machine she was holding. "Your computer down?"

"Oh, it's not really a computer. Well, I suppose it_ is_ a computer, but it's not a _computer _computer…"

"Ah-ah!" Jack waved his hands at her to stop. "You've been hanging around Carter too much again, haven't you?"

"Sorry, sir. It's one of the items I brought to field test. It's a state-of-the-art vital signs monitor. The salesman I spoke with assured me his technology was doing amazing things for the medical world."

"But it's not?"

"It seems to be working all right, but it seems the batteries are intolerant to the cold."

"Who isn't?"

The doctor smiled. "It was either the extreme cold of the wormhole or the prolonged chill last night that drained the battery life by over half. I have a few spares, but those will probably be low now too." She sighed, disappointment plain on her face. "I had a lot of hopes for this little machine."

"So have one of the geeks down in engineering make you an insulated case."

Janet's eyes widened at his suggestion. "Sir, that's brilliant!"

"Now I wouldn't go quite _that_ far."

"No, sir, really. It is," she insisted. "It never even crossed my mind. It's a great idea. Thank you."

"Not a problem, doc. I aim to please," he said with a sly grin. "Speaking of which, the kids are starting to get restless. Think you'll be ready to move out in say, 20 minutes?"

"I can be."

"Good. That should give Carter enough time to finish calibrating the gizmo she won't let me touch. Not that I blame her after what I did to the last one…" He gave her a sheepish look, then sobered and cleared his throat. "So you'll be ready?"

"Yes, sir. I just need to repack my gear."

"Um, about that. You weren't planning on bringing _everything_ with you today, were you?" he asked, waggling his finger at her fully loaded equipment bag.

"Are you volunteering to carry it for me, colonel?"

"Ah, that would be a no…"

Janet couldn't hold her face straight for long. "I'm just messing with you, sir. I intended to leave it here and give my shoulders a break before I have to lug it home tomorrow."

"Good idea. I was actually going to insist on it. It'll make things easier. We'll be covering a lot of ground, especially with Carter and her Naquadah sniffing gadget in the lead."

"Sounds like fun."

"Oh, it is, believe me," he said, his tone a mixture of boredom and dread. He turned to leave. "Anyway, we'll see you in a few."

"I'll be there."

Once alone, she took a moment to retrieve the two spare batteries from the equipment case and plug them into the monitor. Both read at half capacity, the cold having affected them too.

_At least we didn't figure this out during a real emergency…_ She'd seen equipment fail in a crisis before, and while something like this wouldn't be catastrophic, it would surely add unnecessary stress to a dire situation. _And the Goa'uld have certainly_ _given us a few of those over the years…_

She sighed and looked up at the alien sky. She was grateful this mission wasn't one of "those" times. The opportunity to try her hand at something new was refreshing, and she was happy to be among her friends.

Smiling, Janet began to collect her gear, eager to embark on a day of exploration and discovery.

* * *

><p>The biting chill of dawn gradually faded as 952's second sun slowly rose into the sky. By mid-morning the air was quite comfortable and reminiscent of a fall day back home. As planned, the group had divided off into two teams and gone their separate ways, each with high hopes of discovery.<p>

Jack stopped and fiddled with the straps of the heavy rucksack he was carrying. His shoulders were getting sore, the coarse straps lacking the extra padding of his usual bag. He was still unsure how he'd gone from colonel to pack mule, but he suspected the two women had planned it out the night before. He'd found the assignment to be agreeable at first, but that was before Sam's steadily growing rock collection had shifted and gored him in the kidneys.

Following SG-1's protocol, Teal'c had radioed in about a half hour ago for a progress report. He and Daniel were making their way toward the mystery building, stopping to catalog the skeletons they found along the way. They were finding a mixture of Jaffa and human remains, the body count rising steadily as they ventured deeper into the woods.

It'd been the opposite for Jack's group. They'd seen some piles of armor and bones poking up through the bushes, but they were few and far between. Apparently the fighting hadn't made it as far as the mountain basin they were in.

"A mushroom!" Janet exclaimed, disappearing behind what looked like a monstrous oak.

Jack craned his head back and gazed up at the gigantic tree. _I'd hate the see the size of this thing's acorns…_ he thought, imaging the normally quarter-sized seed to be about as big as his head. He walked around the trunk to find the doctor placing her find into a small glass bottle.

"I've never see one like this before," she said, holding the indigo colored mushroom up for him to see.

"I have. It was either '67 or '68." He gave her a lopsided grin. "Good times."

Janet just shook her head and tucked the bottle into one of the rucksack's outer pockets.

"Colonel! I've got something over here." Sam's voice came through the trees.

"Oh boy, more rocks for me to carry," he muttered under his breath. They'd only been on the move for a few hours, but the two majors had already amassed over thirty pounds of survey material. He was beginning to wonder if they really needed it all, or if they were just seeing how much they could load on before the whining started.

He found her standing by a solid wall of rock, aiming her flashlight into an opening partially covered with scrub.

"Whatcha got, Carter?"

"I think it's the opening to a mine – a shallow one anyway. You can see the support beams bracing up the sides and ceiling."

Jack took out his own light and peered inside. "Yeah, you're right." He played his light off the back wall. "It doesn't go back very far. Guess they didn't find anything."

"Or they were interrupted. There are traces of Naquadah here. They just stopped digging for some reason." Sam stepped back and studied the nearly vertical stonewall the mine entrance was carved into. "I think this rock face is manmade too. It's too flat, too perfect."

The colonel pressed a calloused hand against cool stone surface, feeling the innate strength of the giant mountain that loomed overhead.

"There's been some weathering, but I'm pretty sure this was blasted."

"Colonel! Sam!"

Both turned to see Janet crashing through the bushes.

"What's wrong?" Sam demanded, her friend's haste concerning her.

"I think…I think I…" the doctor panted, out of breath from her sprint. "I think…I found…a Goa'uld."

"You _what?_" Jack hissed, his posture going rigid as he slipped into battle mode.

"The _remains_ of a Goa'uld," she corrected. "Bones. Like the Jaffa."

"Where?"

"I'll show you." Janet led her teammates back the way she'd came, retracing her hurried path through the brush. Her trail ended where the mountain bulged out to form a rocky alcove of sorts, surrounding them on two sides with solid stone. "It's back here. I would have missed it completely if it wasn't for the clothing."

The moment she mentioned it, Jack spotted something dark red fluttering in the grass against the far wall of the cove. As he drew near, he saw it was some sort of fabric tangled amongst a cluster of old bones. He picked up a stick from the ground and used it to flip the material away from the skeleton's neck. Intertwined with the spine was the snake-like body of a Goa'uld symbiote.

Jack cringed. "God, I hate those things," he uttered, disgusted by them even when they'd been reduced to mere bones.

Sam knelt down for a closer look. Even caked in dirt and mold, she could tell the clothing was quite ornate. The faded red fabric was soft with fine hand stitching at the seams. Small jewels studded the robe at random intervals, and a silky gold belt encircled the waist. "I wonder who he was…"

"Check his wallet. Maybe he's got ID."

She gave her CO a bemused look.

"I saw a few Jaffa laying around here too," Janet said, poking through the bushes. "Do you think his own people might have killed him?"

"You mean like a revolt?" Sam asked, still examining the skeleton for clues. "I suppose, but I didn't think the idea of Goa'ulds as false gods came about until fairly recently."

"Oh it's always been there, Carter," Jack replied. He'd retreated to the safety of the rock wall, not wanting a front row seat as she casually pawed through the snaky remains. "It just took time to get wide-spread appeal."

"Well whatever happened, the survivors didn't stick around for very long." Janet parted the grass and frowned, a pile of armor and bones sitting at her feet. "If there were any survivors."

Sam was preparing to turn the body over when something shiny by its hand caught her eye. She reached into the grass and picked up a round, red stone. Flat on one side and domed on the other, its smooth surface fit perfectly into her palm.

"Colonel, take a look at this."

He walked over, looking curiously at the object in her hand. "What it is?"

"It looks like a gemstone of some kind. I found it by…"

Jack saw the confusion register on her face. "What?"

"It just got really warm all of a sudden," she replied, the sensation of heat continuing to increase. "Now it's getting hot."

"Maybe you should put it down."

"But I don't understand. It's just a rock. How can it…?"

"Carter!" Jack barked. "Just put the damn thing down!"

She opened her hand to comply, but the stone was stuck to her skin.

"Major?"

"I'm trying, sir, but it's stuck." She shook her hand to no avail. The stone held fast.

"Let me try."

As Sam raised her hand for him to see, the translucent stone began to glow. She gasped, the heat it was generating starting to burn.

"What the hell?" he muttered. "Doc, you wanna come take a…"

Jack's words were cut off mid-sentence when a burst of energy shot from the center of the stone. There was no time to raise a warning or react. Quick and powerful, the band of energy swept all three teammates from their feet and sent them careening into oblivion.


	4. Chapter 4

I just want to say thanks to everyone who's been reading, and especially those that have taken the time to review. Here's some more for you to enjoy.

* * *

><p>Daniel hunched unsteadily over a pile of ragged clothes and bones, discreetly searching the fallen miner's pockets. He was admiring a pair of deep blue stones when he heard a pulsing rumble in the distance. At first he thought it was thunder, but there were hardly any clouds in the sky. Hundreds of birds screeching at full volume flew overhead a moment later, their wings beating for all they were worth.<p>

_The noise must have frightened them…_ he thought, craning his neck back to see the panicked flock. He waited for the rumble to come again, but it never did. _I wonder if the others heard it? Jack probably would have on the radio demanding to know what I touched if they had…_

"Daniel Jackson."

The archeologist turned to find Teal'c up ahead, standing waist deep in the reeds. He walked over to join him. "Did you just hear something - sort of a low rumble off in the distance?"

"I did."

"Any idea what it was?"

"I do not. A disturbance on one of the mountains perhaps."

"Maybe. Whatever it was certainly scared a whole bunch of…what did you find?" he asked, spotting the gold shapes in the large man's hand.

Teal'c held his palm out for Daniel to see. In it was a thin piece of golden metal crudely shaped to look like an M.

"A First Prime tattoo. I don't recognize the symbol."

"Menoetius."

"Menoetius." Daniel thought for a moment. "He was a Titian. He symbolized anger, impulse, and mortality."

"Indeed. He served as an under lord to Cronus for many years. It was his impatience and reckless decision making that kept him from achieving status among the Systems Lords."

"Wait a second - I thought only System Lords were granted First Primes?"

"That is correct."

Daniel took the gold tattoo from his friend's hand and studied it. The design was inconsistent and rough, not at all like the ones he'd seen on other First Primes. He looked down at the body Teal'c had taken the emblem from, noting the shoddy clothing and miss-matched armor.

"There's something strange going on here," he muttered. "If Menoetius was an under lord, how did he end up with his own Jaffa and human slaves?"

"It is rumored that Menoetius stole from Cronus out of spite. He managed to raise a small army of loyal Jaffa and raid one the of slave colonies before confiscating a ship and fleeing. Cronus' troops gave chase, but Menoetius escaped. He was never heard from again."

"He was too impatient to earn his own empire, so he chose to steal one instead. Sounds like a Goa'uld." Daniel looked at the flawed emblem in his hand. "It looks like he even branded his own First Prime. It would explain the poor workmanship of this tattoo anyway." He searched around in his vest pocket for a small envelope to put the delicate item in. "I guess the question now is whether or not Menoetius is still alive. The legends say no, but…"

"Perhaps we will locate more clues when we arrive at the structure we seek to find," Teal'c suggested.

"Yeah, you're right. It shouldn't be much further ahead." Daniel tucked the envelope containing the gold emblem into his vest and picked up his camera. After taking a few photos of the remains, he motioned for his teammate to lead on, hopeful for more discoveries ahead.

* * *

><p>Janet's return to consciousness was fraught with confusion and pain. She squinted up at the sky as her eyes slowly came into focus, trying to remember what happened. At first she couldn't even recall where she was, but the foreign chattering of an unseen creature reminded her she was off world.<p>

_Off world with SG-1…a recon…low risk…to field test some new gear…skeletons everywhere…bones…_

Her thoughts came in a tangled mess as her mind tried to piece together her situation.

_Were we attacked? I don't remember hearing any shouts or gunfire or…or anything. Sam found something in the grass – a rock? It was stuck to her hand. The colonel called me over to look…_

That was as far as her memory would go. The event that landed her flat on her back in the middle of an alien forest was lost.

_The others…_

Janet did a quick role call of her limbs, finding them all to be stiff but functional. She slowly sat up and stretched her back and neck, flinching when she rotated her shoulders. Looking down, she was surprised to find her vest was scorched across the top and her radio completely destroyed. Further investigation revealed that her pain was coming from minor burns hidden beneath her shirt.

_What the hell…?_

Rolling onto her knees, the doctor pushed to her feet. Her head swarmed dizzily and she clung to a tree for support. She looked around hoping to see the others up and about, but she was alone. When the dizziness passed, she took a few tentative steps, grimacing at the ache in her lower back and butt.

_Guess I know what hit the ground first…_

She hobbled stiffly, searching the bushes for her friends. "Sam! Colonel!" she called and paused to listen. When nothing but animal sounds came back to her, Janet frowned and continued to search. "Come on, guys, where are you?" A pair of familiar boots sticking out of the tall grass caught her eye. "Sam?"

Her own aches forgotten, Janet rushed to her friend's side. "Sam? Can you hear me?" She pressed her fingertips to the other woman's neck, feeling her pulse throb steadily against them. "Sam?"

Sam lay motionless on her back, cradled by a swathe of broad-leaved shrubs. She lacked the scorch marks across her shoulders that Janet had, but the doctor soon realized her injuries were far worse. Her right arm was out to the side, the wrist crooked at an unnatural angle. A vicious burn covered much of her palm and fingers, blood seeping from the already broken blisters.

"Oh, Sam…" she uttered, knowing how painful the burn would be when she came around. Deciding to save her at least a little suffering, Janet grasped her friend's wrist and forearm and swiftly set the break. She did a brief pat down to look for further injury, but found nothing amiss. She dug into her pocket and pulled out a field dressing and some gauze pads. Wrapping the dressing around Sam's wrist, she pressed the gauze against bleeding burn and used the loose ends of the bandage to secure them in place.

"There. That should hold you until we get back to camp - then I can fix you up good as new." She paused to recheck Sam's pulse and breathing and then left to find the colonel.

Picking her way slowly through the bushes, Janet decided to start her search in the last place they'd all been – the alcove with the Goa'uld remains. At first the recess in the mountainside seemed empty, but a suspicious heap toward the back had her going in for a closer look. She'd only taken a few steps when she identified the rucksack Jack had been carrying. "Colonel?"

By sight alone, the man looked dead. He was curled awkwardly on his right side, his long legs tangled together. His right arm and shoulder were grossly misshapen, a sure sign something was broken beneath. His hat had slipped forward to conceal much of his face, the little that showed stained with blood.

Janet knelt down and touched her fingers to his throat, his pulse coming back faint and sluggish. His skin felt cool and clammy, indicators of impending shock. His labored breathing quickly became her next concern and she turned to the bulky rucksack strapped to his back.

"All right, colonel, let's get this thing off you." Janet pulled the combat knife from her belt and cut through the thick straps holding it in place. When the bag was free she tried to lift it, but it was too heavy to move with her sore back. After a few more failed attempts, she resorted to emptying most of the cargo and dragging it out of the way.

"There. I bet that feels better. I think Sam and I got a little carried away with collecting stuff from the trail." She doubted the unconscious man could hear what she was saying, but speaking aloud at this point was as much for her sake as it was his.

"Okay, sir. This next part is going to hurt, but I'll be as quick as I can." Using her hand to support his neck, she carefully moved him onto his back. She noticed an immediate improvement in Jack's breathing, the change in position opening his airway and easing the pressure on his chest. "Nowhere near a hundred percent, but it's better than before."

Janet felt something sticky on her hands and looked down to see them smeared with blood. A search for the source revealed a deep gash across his temple, the entire right side of his face bloody and bruised. She took a field dressing from her vest and secured it over the seeping wound.

She moved on to his injured arm and shoulder, carefully positioning them as neutrally as she could without risking further harm. The sharp scent of burnt nylon called her attention to another issue, and she discovered the left side of his vest had been reduced to a charred mess. She unclipped his P90 and set it aside, taking note of the scorch marks on the butt of the gun.

"Oh, god…" The doctor cringed sympathetically when she realized the damage had gone through all three layers of the man's clothing and left a nasty burn across his side.

_This just doesn't make any sense…_ She thought, trying to piece together the events that had landed them all unconscious and wounded in varying degrees. _Sam and I were launched off our feet and blown out of the alcove, but the colonel is still here. There's no way he could have absorbed the…_ Janet looked up at the massive piece of mountain that jutted out of the ground only a few feet away. _He must have been thrown against the rock. Hitting something that hard at any speed could…_

As if reading her mind, Jack groaned and coughed, a thin line of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

She uttered a rare curse. They were god knows how many millions of light years from home and the situation was rapidly going to hell in a hand basket. _Some low risk recon this turned out to be…_

Janet drew in a deep breath to calm her racing thoughts. She'd had plenty of experience dealing with off world emergencies in the past; it was the fact that she was the only medic present and injured herself that troubled her. Forcing all the 'what ifs' and 'if onlys' to the back of her mind, she slipped on her professional mask. She had two patients to take care of and at least one of them was teetering on critical. She needed her gear and she needed help. Pronto.

The doctor started to reach for her radio and stopped, remembering it had been destroyed. She reached for Jack's unit instead, which had fortunately remained intact. Toggling the comm button, she tried to keep her voice steady as she spoke. "Daniel, Teal'c, this is Janet. I need help. Please come in."

* * *

><p>The lone building that had been so alluring on paper turned out to actually be two separate units with a shared roof and covered walkway in between. They looked reminiscent of Quonset huts in size and shape, but were constructed out of the local lumber instead of steel. Doors with small peepholes were the only means of admittance, and long, narrow slits along the covered side served as windows.<p>

"Well it's a lot bigger than I thought it would be," Daniel said, looking up at the structure with interest.

Teal'c was prowling the building's perimeter with his staff weapon drawn, searching for possible threats. By all accounts the property looked deserted, but he knew the Goa'uld intimately and was familiar with their tricks. He leaned in and peered through one of the narrow windows, the interior silent and dark.

"It would appear this place was abandoned long ago," he remarked, frowning at the unpleasant odor of abandonment that wafted from the opening. He rejoined his teammate around front.

"So what do you think - should we try door number one or door number two?"

The Jaffa weighed his options. "I believe door number one would be an appropriate choice."

"Door number one it is." Daniel reached for the wooden latch and hesitated, Jack O'Neill's scolding voice echoing in mind. _"How many times have I told you not to go barging into an un-cleared building? That sort of carelessness is going to get someone killed…" _He stepped back. "Maybe you should go first – just in case things aren't as abandoned as they seem."

Teal'c inclined his head and proceeded to make entry. He silently opened the door and stepped inside, sweeping the business end of his staff around every inch of the open interior. When no movement caught his eye, he called out to his waiting friend. "The premises is clear, Daniel Jackson."

The archeologist entered with his flashlight drawn and eyes wide as he tried to take in everything at once. The large single room had little to offer as far as aesthetics were concerned, the four walls barren of decoration and the sparse furniture lacking any original design. A dozen sets of simple bunk beds lined the left wall, and several long tables were set up along the right. The room had few creature comforts; crude mattresses, rough blankets, and a few random pieces of clothing were all that Daniel could see.

"It looks like barracks of some sort." He wrinkled his nose at the dank, stale air. "What's that smell?"

"Death," Teal'c replied bluntly, passing his light over a pile of bones on the floor. "And fear."

Daniel slowly walked through the building, pausing briefly to photograph items of interest. Remains were scattered throughout the room, heaped up on the floor or sprawled across the beds. Mining tools were strewn about, many of them broken or lodged within the heads and backs of the deceased. He came across one skeleton that was in bed and still under the covers, a Jaffa battle knife driven straight through its chest. Feeling sympathy for the long dead miner, he grasped the hilt of the knife and pulled it free.

"This was no ordinary battle," he uttered, looking queasily at the serpentine shaped blade. "These people were attacked."

Teal'c was searching the back of the room when he spotted something shiny by the body of a fallen Jaffa. "Daniel Jackson."

Daniel discarded the dagger on the neighboring bunk and unconsciously wiped his hand across his vest. "What is it?" he asked, forcing himself to look away from the impaled miner.

"I have discovered another First Prime tattoo." He extended his large hand out for his friend to see.

"Cronus," Daniel said, recognizing the broad bullhorn design. "Didn't you say Menoetius stole Jaffa and slaves from him?"

"Yes. It would appear Menoetius took refuge on this planet and began to establish his empire."

"Well he didn't get very far. Cronus must have really wanted revenge if he sent his First Prime. They couldn't have been here for more then a few months before they were found." The younger man shook his head. "I still can't believe they killed _everybody_."

"Death is a common punishment for turning against one's god. The Goa'uld are not known for giving second chances."

"Or forgive and forget. The bone yard we found must have been where they executed most of them, and then they just picked off any stragglers along the way. The miners obviously fought back – the dead Jaffa we've found couldn't all have been Menoetius'."

"I agree."

Daniel sighed deeply. "I want to take a look at the building next door," he said quietly, feeling a pang of sadness for the innocent miners that had been murdered so long ago.

Picking up on his friend's grief, Teal'c merely nodded and led the way to the exit.

The neighboring building turned out to be much of the same - a stark interior with little furniture or comforts of home. The biggest difference was the lack of beds – the room's only furnishings consisting of long tables and ornate candleholders. A few training staffs were propped up against the far wall, and random pieces of battle-worn armor littered the floor. The one consolation of the dark, dreary room was the lack of bones lying about.

"Dining hall?" Daniel asked.

"Jaffa quarters. It is a place to take meals and perform Kelnorim. Nothing more."

The archeologist frowned in thought. "This just doesn't make sense. There must be another building around here somewhere…or maybe it's been destroyed…"

"What are you considering?"

"The room next door had less than thirty beds, but we've come across the remains of at least a hundred miners. This facility isn't big enough to house them all."

"Many Goa'uld masters would work their slaves around the clock in predetermined shifts. Some would rest while others worked," Teal'c explained. "Where we believe Menoetius was attempting to establish his own empire, it is likely he would have employed this method."

"I wonder what they were mining then? They must have found Naquadah or something else just as…"

His radio crackled to life. _"Daniel, Teal'c, this is Janet. I need help. Please come in."_

The two men briefly looked at one another, their surprise quickly turning to concern. Daniel picked up his unit to respond. "Janet, this is Daniel. What's wrong?"

_"Something happened…I don't know what it was…we found a Goa'uld…there was some sort of energy burst…I really don't know…"_

"Wait – did you just say you found a Goa'uld?"

_"Just the remains of one. Listen, Sam and the colonel are down. I need help…"_

Daniel's eyes widened. "Jack and Sam are hurt?"

_"Yes. Sam seems stable enough, but the colonel…Daniel, please. I need your help. I need someone to go back to camp and get my gear bag, some blankets, sleeping bags…"_

"Janet, slow down. Where are you?"

_"I don't…umm…we're about two miles south of the campsite. Just follow along the base of the mountain and you'll find us."_

"Are you okay?"

_"I'll be fine, Daniel. Please. I need you guys to hurry."_

"We must depart at once," Teal'c said, already half way out the door.

"Janet, we're on our way. Keep in radio contact and we'll be there just as soon as we can. Daniel out." He returned the radio to his vest and hurried to catch up with Teal'c, their discoveries at the abandoned mining camp already forgotten.

* * *

><p>Sam slowly opened her eyes and looked up at the sky, trying to remember what happened. She knew she was off world – the silhouette of a gas giant overhead instantly reminded her of that. What she couldn't figure out was why she was lying on her back in the middle of patch of prickly shrubs.<p>

She tried moving her arms and legs. Other than a general stiffness from being on the ground, everything seemed fine until she got to her right hand. She gasped as pain exploded through her wrist and fingers, her skin feeling as if it was on fire. She looked over to find her hand and wrist wrapped in a bandage, the white dressing stained red with blood.

_What the hell?_

Sam attempted to move her fingers again, only to be rewarded with a fresh bolt of pain.

_My wrist is broken…_ she thought, the deep throb starting to make her feel sick. _It's got to be… _She shut her eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying to keep herself from slipping into shock.

_What happened? What caused this? Were we attacked? Where are the others? _Thoughts raced dizzily around her head and she found it difficult to focus on just one. _Are the others okay? Are they hurt? _She knew at least one of them had to be mobile by the bandage on her hand. _But where are they? Has anyone called for help? What about Daniel and Teal'c? _

Her duty to find and protect her teammates slowly began prevail over the pain. Swallowing back her nauseous stomach, Sam eased herself into a sitting position and looked around. She was alone, the others nowhere in sight. Her surroundings were unfamiliar and she had no idea how far or in what direction their camp was. She considered trying her radio, but decided against it. If they had been attacked the aggressor might still be in the area.

Sam cradled her injured arm against her chest and got to her feet. Gripping her P90 with her left hand, she started off in search of her friends. Her mind gradually began to clear as she quietly made her way through the bushes. She remembered being in an alcove of sorts with Janet and the colonel. She'd been examining the skeleton of a Goa'uld when she found something of interest – some sort of oddly shaped stone. When she'd picked it up, the stone became hot; so hot, in fact, she thought it had burnt right into her skin.

She looked down at her bandaged hand and saw the thick pad of gauze against her palm for the first time. _Maybe it did…_

She figured she must have blacked out sometime after that because it was where her memories stopped. It bothered her not being able to recall more, but she at least felt a little more confident they hadn't been attacked. The appearance of an aggressor - be it man or beast - was a detail she wouldn't likely forget. She remained vigilant just the same; there was no telling who or what could be lurking in the dense cover of the forest.

"…just hang in there, sir. They're on…"

Sam froze when she heard a voice. _Is that Janet?_

"...get you and Sam out of this…"

Heading in the direction of her voice, Sam emerged from the bushes and found herself standing at the entrance to alcove. She saw Janet seated on the ground by the back wall, looking down at something hidden by the tall grass.

"Janet?"

The doctor looked up, startled. "Sam?"

"Oh thank goodness you're okay. I woke up and I was…" Sam's relieved words caught in her throat when she finally saw what was in the grass. Her eyes went wide, looking first to her friend and than back to the still form of her CO on the ground. "Oh my god. Is he…?"

"He's alive, but he's in a bad way," Janet replied. It was of no use lying to the woman standing before her. Sam was smart enough to see with her own eyes the gravity of the situation. After calling for help, she'd set about cutting away the upper half of Jack's uniform. The damage she found beneath the layers of fabric had troubled her, both as the man's friend and physician. Although she wouldn't say it aloud, the odds definitely weren't tipped in his favor. "He's got ribs gone on both sides, and his right humerus and collarbone are broken. He has a severe burn on his left side, and extensive bruising to his upper body."

She saw the doctor had rolled up her jacket and tucked against Jack's right side. "He's breathing funny," she said, noting that the left side of his chest rose normally on inhalation, but the right side fell.

"It's a symptom of flail chest. He must have several ribs that are broken in multiple places. If we were back at the infirmary, things might be different, but out here…"

Sam felt the sick feeling she'd woken up with starting to return. Her head swarmed and her stomach began to rise. _This just isn't happening…_

Janet saw what little color her friend had drain from her face. "Sam?"

"I-I'm…" She'd never seen such bruising before, the large patches of crimson, black, and blue mottling his chest and sides. His right shoulder was badly swollen, the inflammation spreading down his arm and across his neck. His face was mottled with bruising, and a vicious burn cut along his left side, the skin beneath angry, raw, and red.

"Sam? Is it your wrist? I set the break, but it still…"

"I-I'm fine," she uttered uncertainly. "Is he going to make it?"

The doctor hesitated, reluctant to answer. "I can't say. His injuries are bad. It really could go either way."

It wasn't the news she wanted to hear, but it was everything she'd expected. She forcefully dragged her gaze away from Jack. "Have you heard anything from Daniel and Teal'c?"

"I spoke with them briefly a while ago. They're on their way – I asked them to stop and grab a few things back at camp first."

"That's good." Sam tried to find a comfortable position for her P90 that wouldn't bump against her broken hand. "I need to do a quick sweep of the area. You don't remember being attacked by anyone, do you?"

The doctor shook her head.

"Good. I don't either, but I want to make sure we're secure here just the same."

"Are you sure you're up to it?"

Realistically Sam didn't think she was, but her obligation to keep her friends safe had her nodding and heading off toward the trees. A perimeter sweep of any new area was standard procedure for the team, allowing them to get a feel for the lay of the land early on. The denseness of this particular forest wouldn't permit her to venture far from her starting point, and it also cut the likelihood of stealth attack down to almost zero. The lush plant life would provide them with an early warning system – anyone trying to sneak around would undoubtedly make noise.

_Unless they got away while Janet and I were unconscious…_ She thought, her hand reaching for her radio. "Daniel, Teal'c, this is Carter. Come in."

There was a brief pause before his winded voice came over the air. _"Sam! It's great to hear your voice! Are you okay?" _

"I'm a little banged up, but otherwise all right. Where are you guys?"

_"We just left the campsite. How's Jack doing?"_

"He…" Sam didn't know how to respond. To her, the man had looked to be on death's door between all the bruising and blood. She felt a sudden urgency to get back to the others. "He's holding his own."

"_That's good. We've been worried."_

"Listen, you guys. I'm not exactly sure what happened out here just yet. There's still the chance we were attacked and the aggressor has since gotten away. I'm doing a quick check of our perimeter, but there's a chance any aggressors could be headed your way."

_"All right. We'll keep our eyes open for anything out of the ordinary."_

"Just be careful, okay?"

"_We will, Sam."_ There was another short pause. _"Teal'c's found your trail. We should be at your location within the half hour. Tell Jack to hang on."_

"I will. Watch yourselves. Carter out." Sam picked up her pace, continuing her sweep as fast as proficiency would allow. She was making good headway when she heard something rustling in the bushes behind her. Without thinking, she wheeled around and grabbed for her weapon using her injured right hand instead of her left. Pain shot through her wrist and fingers, a yelp escaping her before she had a chance quell it. Whatever creature had been moving around in the bushes took off squealing into the forest, frightened by her loud cry.

Dizzy and nauseous, she clung to a nearby tree and waited for it to pass. _That was dumb, Sam…really, really dumb._

Gradually the pain in her wrist began lessen, fading from a sickening throb to a more tolerable ache. When her legs felt steady enough to continue, Sam relinquished her grip on the tree and proceeded to finish her search. Remnants of her scare must have remained on her face, as Janet appeared at her side the moment she stepped into the alcove.

"Sam? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. I got startled by something in the bushes and tried to raise my weapon with my broken hand. It hurt."

"I can imagine it did. You're still white as a ghost," Janet replied, taking her by the good arm for support. "Come on. I want you to sit down before you fall." She led her over beside Jack and helped her to the ground. "So you saw something out there?"

"I never actually saw it, but it was definitely small. It sounded like a pig." Sam sighed, feeling a little better now that she was sitting down. "It doesn't look like we were attacked, but I warned Daniel and Teal'c to keep an eye out just in case."

"I heard you on the radio. It's good to know they're close."

Sam nodded absently, her attention shifting to the unconscious man beside her. There'd been no change in his condition during her brief absence. "How can I help?" she asked quietly.

Janet knew there was nothing either one of them could really do until Daniel and Teal'c arrived with her supplies, but she saw the want, the _need_ to help in her eyes. "Take his hand. Let him know he's not alone."

Sam reached out and grasped her CO's left hand. His long fingers were cold and lifeless against hers, making it difficult to believe that he wasn't dead. "My god, Janet. What happened to us?"

"I don't know. I've been trying to piece things together, but I'm not having much luck. All I remember is searching through the bushes for Jaffa skeletons and the colonel calling me over. Next thing I knew, I was looking up at the sky with a sore backside and burns across my shoulders."

"I remember finding a red stone on the ground near the Goa'uld skeleton. When I picked it up, it started getting hot." Sam looked at her bandaged hand, aware of the painful heat flaring across her palm. "I think it burnt me."

"It did. Or something did," Janet replied. "Whatever happened, it was powerful enough to throw you and me clear of the alcove and slam the colonel against the mountain side. I thought it might have been a proximity mine at first because of the burns and broken bones, but there wasn't any shrapnel or evidence of an explosion."

"I thought we were under attack, that's why I didn't try my radio when I first woke up. It just doesn't make sense."

Silence fell between the two women as they struggled to understand the difficult situation they'd been dealt. Both felt frustrated and vulnerable, like they'd carelessly let their guard down and were now paying the price. From the grass beside them, Jack drew in a wheezy breath and coughed. Sam's eyes widened when she saw the traces of blood that appeared on his lips.

"This isn't the first time it's happened," Janet told her, cleaning the blood from his mouth. "With injuries like these, it's not a matter of determining if he's bleeding internally or not, but figuring out from where and how bad." She checked his pulse, counting the weak beats as they throbbed against her fingers. He was still with them, but she knew he could start to deteriorate at any moment.

The doctor sighed and looked over at Sam. The other woman sat motionless in the grass, her pale face shadowed with a mask of concern. An involuntary shiver periodically coursed through her body, leading Janet to believe she was suffering from a mild case shock. But, like the colonel, there was little she could do for her until the guys arrived with her gear.

_Why didn't I bring it with me?_ She demanded of herself. _That's why you came on this trip in the first place - to test the backpack and the gear inside. So what if your back was a little sore. How does it feel now? You know as well as anyone how much of a difference rapid treatment can make in a trauma situation. What if your selfish decision to leave your gear behind costs the colonel his life?_ She flinched at the harshness of her own thoughts. She'd always been her own worst critic, and this wasn't the time or place to give herself a mental tongue-lashing. She had two teammates – two friends – counting on her to help them. They were far more important than analyzing a decision she couldn't take back.

She noticed Sam was holding onto Jack's hand like his life depended on it. And maybe it did. She knew the two shared a special bond – the entire team did. They'd been to hell and back together and no matter how bad things got, they always managed to emerge stronger and closer than before. While her medicine helped to support and heal the body, it was their deep camaraderie that supported and healed the soul.

She reached out and put a hand on Sam's shoulder. When the other woman turned to look at her, she offered an encouraging smile. Sam nodded and tried to return the smile, but found it too difficult and looked away. They didn't speak – there was no need for words. Both knew that they wouldn't let Jack go without a fight, and if the unimaginable were to happen, they would make sure he wasn't alone or in pain.

But for now, they could only hope that help would arrive soon, and that it would be enough to keep their friend, leader, and teammate alive.


	5. Chapter 5

Janet was in the midst of reevaluating Jack when she heard something crashing through the woods. She was about to ask Sam if she'd heard it too, but saw the other woman had already brought her weapon up to bear. Although they were expecting company, experience had taught her it was prudent to be prepared, especially while traveling off world.

About thirty seconds later, Teal'c came charging into the alcove with a badly winded Daniel not far behind.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Janet exclaimed, spotting her gear strapped to the Jaffa's back.

"We came as quick…we lost your…but then Teal'c found…" Daniel's breathless explanation faded when he noticed the condition of his friends, his wide-eyed gaze coming to rest on Jack.

"I have brought the supplies you requested, Doctor Fraiser."

"Thank you, Teal'c," she replied, helping him remove the heavy pack and immediately tearing into it. "Sam, I'm going to need you to move over little. Daniel, can you give her a hand please?"

The archeologist helped his teammate to her unsteady feet and guided her off to one side, allowing the doctor sufficient room to work.

"May I be of assistance?" Teal'c inquired.

"You can." Janet pulled the electronics case from her pack and passed it to large man. "Open this. Take out the main unit and get it turned on - the power switch is on the back." She left Teal'c to his task and turned her attention to the colonel. Settling her stethoscope into her ears, she began to assess the unconscious man's heart and lungs. What she heard wasn't encouraging.

The lung sounds on his right side were diminished, increasing her suspicions of flail chest. He was already coughing up blood, and she could hear the bubbling gurgle of more free fluid with each shallow breath he drew. She desperately wished they were closer to home, or that she at least had her fully outfitted rescue team to back her up. If his injuries were as severe as she feared, the few supplies she had in her small backpack wouldn't be enough to keep the wounded man alive for long.

_But you owe it to him and his team to try…_

A mechanical chime told her Teal'c had succeeded in getting the vitals monitor going. "That's good, Teal'c. I'll need the other items from the case too. Did you bring blankets?"

"Yeah, they're right here," Daniel replied, stripping off his pack and pulling several thermal blankets from inside.

"Great. Give one to Sam and bring the rest over here."

Sam thanked him with a small smile as he wrapped one of the large blankets around her shoulders. He bundled the rest into his arms and carried them over to where Jack lay. Janet was adhering EKG electrodes to his chest as Teal'c worked to secure a pulse oxitmeter clip to his finger.

"Go ahead and get him covered over, Daniel," she instructed, connecting the leads to the monitor. The small unit began to emit a low beeping tone, assuring everybody that the colonel was indeed alive. She moved on to fasten the blood pressure cuff around his arm and allowed the machine to take a reading. It was low – too low, but all of his numbers were far below where they should be.

Janet returned to her gear bag to gather the items she needed to start an IV. She knew he'd benefit from supplemental oxygen as well, but the two small tanks she had with her wouldn't last for long. She decided to hold off and hope he continued to breathe adequately on his own.

She glanced up from her bag to find Daniel crouched down behind Jack's head wearing the same expression of complete shock she had seen on Sam's face earlier. She wanted to reassure her friend, tell him not to worry and that everything was going to be fine. She couldn't, though. Creating false hope in a grave situation could be just as damaging as telling the truth – sometimes it was worse.

She returned to Jack's side and began to prepare his left arm to accept the IV catheter. Shock had caused his veins to retract, and it took a few tries to locate one suitable enough to use. After a quick swipe with alcohol, she slid the needle into place and anchored it with tape. She connected a bag of saline, fully opened the drip valve, and passed it to Daniel to hold. Hopefully the extra fluids would help stabilize his struggling systems.

"Do you wish a stretcher to be assembled?"

"We can't move him, Teal'c," Janet replied. "Not like this."

Sam couldn't believe her friend's words. "But Janet…"

The doctor held up her hand. "He's too sick, Sam. If we tried to move him right now we'd kill him for sure. We have to wait until he stabilizes. Even then we shouldn't attempt a move without a rescue team present."

"I will return to Stargate Command and retrieve a medical team."

"It would take too long, Teal'c," Daniel muttered.

"I can make the journey in half the time. My symbiote will sustain me for great distances at an accelerated speed."

Sam shook her head. "But that's only one way. Once you gated back with the rescue team, it would take you the same amount of time it initially took us to get here. Then we'd still have to make the trip back. We're talking at least 24 hours, probably more. I don't think the colonel has that long." She looked to Janet. "Does he?"

"No," she replied quietly.

"Then we have to risk moving him," Daniel insisted.

Janet sighed and absently rubbed her sore shoulder, feeling the dull ache of the burns beneath. She looked at the numbers displayed on the vitals monitor, hoping for at least some sign of improvement. There wasn't. The thought of moving the colonel in his present state troubled her. Even if she did manage to get him stabilized, his condition could still deteriorate in an instant and the confinements of the trail would greatly hinder her ability to help.

But the others had a point. There was no chance Jack would survive the 24-hour or more wait for a medical team to come and shuttle him home. He was bleeding internally, and if the shock and blood loss didn't get him, then the arising complications from his chest injury would. Moving him now was the only option they had if they were to have any chance of saving his life.

"All right," the doctor conceded at last. "What's the plan?"

* * *

><p>Sam was seated at her CO's side, doing what she could to help Janet get him ready for transport. The rigid stretcher Daniel and Teal'c had constructed from young trees and padded with sleeping bags sat near by, ready for use. The two men had returned to the trail and were clearing the first leg of their journey to make the trip as smooth and safe as possible. Their plan was to reach the game path before nightfall, and use the better footing to make good time despite the dark.<p>

_I should be out there helping them… _She thought as she handed the doctor another square of gauze. _With three of us working, we could have had a path cleared by now. We could be on our way home, closer to getting the colonel the help he needs. I've only got a broken wrist – I can still use my other…_

"Sam?"

"Huh?" The sound of her name startled her from of her thoughts.

"I need the tape," Janet repeated, nodding at the roll of medical tape balancing on her knee.

"Oh, sure." Sam passed her the roll of adhesive, which she used to secure a thick dressing over the burn on Jack's side. She was padding him up the best she could, hoping to ease the stress of transport on his battered body.

"How's your wrist feeling?"

"All right as long as I don't try to move anything," she replied, grimacing when she gave her fingers an experimental wiggle.

"We'll treat your burn and then cast up your wrist when we get home. In a few weeks you'll be as good as new," Janet said with an encouraging smile.

Sam tried to return the gesture, but her smile fell short. At the moment, she felt her own well-being didn't amount to very much. Not when the colonel's life was on the line. She sighed and shifted the bag of saline she had resting on her shoulder, making sure the drip line connected to his IV wasn't twisted or crimped. He was already on his second bag, the fluids having helped to elevate his blood pressure to a more acceptable level.

"Could I possibly get you to eat something before we leave?" Janet asked.

"I'm really not hungry," Sam replied, the thought of food making her stomach turn.

"I figured as much, but you need to keep your strength up." The doctor passed her an open canteen and two Tylenol. "At least drink and get those into your system. It's not much, but it'll take the edge off."

Sam nodded her thanks and took the two caplets with a swig of water. She was attempting to screw the cap back on the canteen one handed when she felt something bump against her leg. She looked down to see Jack's hand move, his fingers curling into a fist. "Janet, I think he's waking up."

"Colonel O'Neill? Can you hear me, sir?" Janet felt his body tense and saw his expression morph from confusion to pained as his injuries made themselves known.

Jack groaned and instinctively tried to shift away from the pain. "Oh god…" he gasped, the slightest of movements causing an explosion of agony to shoot through his overloaded nerves.

"Colonel, you need to lie still, sir." Janet said, moving to gently restrain him. "You've been badly injured."

His eyes slowly opened, his gaze clouded and unfocused. "Doc?"

She positioned herself so he could see her better. "It's me, sir. Just stay still. You're going to be fine." _So much for not breeding false hope…_

Despite her orders, Jack couldn't help his restlessness, the pain making it impossible to remain still. He cried out when a sharp jolt went up his right arm and through his shoulder and neck. "God…" he uttered through gritted teeth. "What happened?"

"We're still trying to figure that part out, sir," Sam replied.

Jack shifted his gaze toward the new voice. "Carter?"

She smiled as best she could. "Hi, colonel."

His eyes abruptly slammed shut and he grimaced, pain flaring across his chest. "Crap, that hurts," he uttered breathlessly.

"What's bothering you the most, sir?"

"Che…" He began to cough, the vehement protest from his broken ribs making his eyes water and body shudder.

Janet used her hand to put gentle pressure on the collapsed portion of his rib cage. She knew such practice was controversial in the medical world, but it brought some immediate relief to the struggling man. "Easy, colonel. Take it easy."

Jack gradually brought his coughing under control. While no blood came up during the spell, the doctor could still hear the telltale rattle of its presence every time he exhaled. He was nearly panting; each breath he drew coming short and shallow.

"Easy, sir. You're all right." Janet turned on vitals monitor and pretended she didn't see the low battery warning. The pain response had caused all of Jack's numbers to skyrocket except for the amount of oxygen his blood was carrying. "Try to slow down your breathing, colonel."

"Hurts…"

"I know it hurts, but you have to try." She watched as he made an obvious effort to do as he was told, silently grateful for the pain control techniques he'd learned during his time spent in Special Ops. Little by little his breathing slowed and deepened, and his oxygen saturation level began to climb. "That's it. Breath as deep as you can."

Sam reached under the blankets and took his hand. He was shaking, but so was she; her own pain, stress, and fears compounded into one overwhelming emotion that she was fighting to control. She knew Jack was strong, their catastrophic trip to the Antarctic had shown her that. But the magnitude of his injuries and their distance from the gate was forcing her to consider the possibility that they might not make it home a complete team.

She felt Jack's hand close weakly around hers. She looked down to find him watching her, his right eye nearly swollen shut. He still wasn't breathing properly, but it was less spastic than before. "You okay?"

"Me?" Sam asked, startled by the question. The man lay dying in the middle of an alien forest and how he could spare the strength to be concerned with the well being of others was beyond her. "I'm fine, sir."

"What happened…to your arm?" he asked, his words hampered by the constant need for air.

She glanced down at the hand she held protectively against her chest. "It's a broken wrist," she replied. "No big deal. Janet said I'll be as good as new in no time. Just like you." If Sam had blinked, she would have missed the ironic lift of Jack's eyebrows.

"Yeah. Right. Just like…me." His face contorted and he coughed, blood appearing on his lips. "Oh god…"

His voice was so pained, so pitiful, Sam felt her eyes well up with tears. "Janet, isn't there anything you do?" she asked. "Something to help the pain at least?"

The doctor shook her head, her normally schooled expression nearly as grief-stricken as her friend's. "Not with a chest injury," she replied, cleaning the blood and sweat from the man's face. "It could suppress his ability to breath even more."

"But he's…" Sam couldn't finish her sentence. The colonel's chances of making it home alive were already slim; she didn't want to jinx them completely. "Nothing at all?"

Janet thought for a moment, weighing her options carefully. Mixing opiates with chest injuries presented definite risks, but prolonged exposure to severe pain could be just as bad. "I can give him a low dose of morphine," she said, turning to her gear. "But we'll have to watch him like a hawk."

She measured out the correct dose and plugged the hypodermic into the colonel's IV. "I'm giving you something to help with the pain, sir. It's only going to take the edge off, but it's the best I can do for right now."

With the medication given, Janet divided her attention between watching her patient and the numbers displayed on the vitals monitor. Even as the drug took hold she could tell he was still in pain, but it provided enough relief to bring his discomfort back into a tolerable range. He relaxed a bit, his body slowly working to regulate itself.

"Is that a little better, colonel?"

"Thanks," he uttered, grateful for the reprieve no matter how small.

"Yeah," Sam agreed, able to relax a little herself. "Thank you."

"I'll try to keep him at this level, but like I said: we _have_ to watch him." Janet adjusted Jack's blankets, wanting to keep him as warm as possible. "Try to get some rest, sir. We'll be ready to move you as soon as Daniel and Teal'c are done clearing us a path."

Jack didn't respond. He had focused all his energy on isolating and suppressing his pain. The morphine helped, but he still had a lot of work to do himself. Completely trusting his friends to keep him and each other safe, Jack retreated even deeper into the pain free darkness of his own creation.

* * *

><p>Exhausted, sweaty, and sore, Daniel rolled a large stone into the bushes and fell back against a tree, panting for breath. He and Teal'c had been working fervently to clear a path between the alcove and campsite, his level of endurance proving to be no match for that of the Jaffa's. He looked up ahead, their tents just visible through the maze of trees.<p>

"Do you think we cleared enough?"

Teal'c surveyed their work with a critical eye. Despite the time constraints and lack of proper equipment, they had managed to clear a footpath approximately four feet wide. It wasn't perfect, but it would make carrying a stretcher safer and easier than trying to fight through the tangle of shrubs. "I believe our work will suffice."

"Good." The archeologist removed his glasses and wiped the sweat from his face with the front of his shirt. "We should probably get back to the others. Janet said she wanted to move out as soon as possible."

"I agree."

The two men double-backed along the newly created trail, touching up a few rough areas as they went. They heeded Sam's warning and remained vigilant, watching and listening for signs of danger lurking just out of sight in the bushes.

"Do you think Jack will make it?" Daniel asked, lengthening his stride to keep pace with his teammate.

"Doctor Fraiser is a formidable healer. I believe O'Neill's chances have been greatly improved by her presence."

Daniel started to point out that Teal'c hadn't answered his question, but decided against it. The other man made a valid point. Had Janet not accompanied them on their mission, Jack's chance of survival would have been severely limited. They could 'what if' and over-analyze the situation all day and still be no closer to knowing the truth.

As they went along, Teal'c gradually increased his speed. He knew their biggest adversary was time, and this was something he could not defeat with his strength and training. Jack was more than just a leader to him. He was a friend and brother, the one person that had shown him trust when all others had feared him. He felt indebted to the human warrior, and knew that if he were to die, a large part of himself would perish along with him.

The rest of the trip was made in silence, the men conserving their energy for long journey that lie ahead. There was also little of value to say.

They arrived back at the alcove to find Janet applying a rigid splint to Sam's broken wrist.

"Did you see anything?" Sam asked, flinching as the doctor tightened a strap on the splint.

"We did not," Teal'c replied. "We did however clear a path as you instructed, Doctor Fraiser."

"That's great, Teal'c. Thank you," the doctor approved. "We should be ready to head out shortly."

Daniel knelt down beside the colonel. "How's Jack been doing?" he asked, surprised when the other man opened his eyes.

"He's been better," he uttered, sounding oddly out of breath.

"Hey, Jack. It's good to see you awake."

"What's so…good about it?"

Daniel smiled; glad to see his friend's humor was still intact. "Don't worry, Jack. We'll get you home. You just have to hang in there, all right?"

The wounded man nodded and shut his eyes, the brief interaction tiring him.

Janet put the finishing touches on Sam's splint. "If you guys want to get the stretcher ready, I'll give the colonel another dose of pain meds and we can get him moved."

The two men went to fetch the stretcher they'd made when Daniel spotted something glinting in the grass. "Hey, what's this?"

Sam looked over to see what he'd discovered, her eyes widening when she saw the familiar object in his hand. "Don't!" she cried, startling him so much he pitched the small stone halfway across the alcove. "That's what I was holding right before everything went to hell."

"I thought it…I mean it just…it looked like an ordinary rock."

Having seen where the stone landed, Teal'c wandered over to investigate. He knelt down and parted the grass, recognizing the object immediately.

"Do you know what it is?"

"I do, Major Carter," he replied. "It is a ma'krell stone. The gem most commonly used in the center of Goa'uld ribbon devices."

"So it's the stone that has the conductive properties, not the housing?"

"Indeed. The housing merely helps to focus and control the release of energy." He sensed Daniel peering curiously over his shoulder. "You may handle it if you wish, Daniel Jackson. It will not harm you."

"But Sam…"

"Major Carter possesses Naquadah in her bloodstream. This is what caused the ma'krell stone to react so violently when she held it in her hand. It would behave similarly if I attempted to hold it."

Sam suddenly felt like she'd been punched in the stomach. "You mean I…oh my god."

Janet watched the other woman's expression shift from surprised to stunned to sickened as she realized what Teal'c had just said. "Sam?" She wanted badly to go comfort her friend, but couldn't leave Jack's side after having just given him more morphine.

"Sam? What is it? Sam?" Daniel abandoned the ma'krell stone and went over to his dazed teammate. "Sam?"

"Oh my god…I did this…I caused…this was my fault…oh my god…"

When she wouldn't look at him when he called her name, he resorted to grabbing her by the shoulders and giving them a firm shake. "Sam!"

She looked up at last; her blue eyes welled with tears. "Daniel?"

"What's wrong?"

"This…this was all my fault," she said, continuing when she saw the confusion on his face. "The Naquadah in my blood caused the stone to release an uncontrolled burst of energy. Janet and I got only minor injuries because we were thrown clear of the alcove, but the colonel was thrown into the mountainside. He could…he might die because of me…"

"You could not have known."

"Teal'c's right, Sam. There was no way you could have known what you were picking up."

"I should have known better," she argued. "I shouldn't have touched something when I didn't know what it was."

"You thought it was a rock, didn't you? Just like I did when I picked it up a minute ago. And you've been picking up rock samples all morning, so why would you have thought differently about this one?"

Sam shook her head, not willing to listen to reason. "Don't you get it, Daniel? The colonel could _die _because of _my_ carelessness."

"A possibility that will become a reality if we continue to delay further."

All eyes turned to Teal'c. His words were blunt, but his tone was gentle. He wasn't trying to be cruel or bitter; he was merely stating the truth.

Sam was stunned, her teammate's candid words shocking her to the core. Anger flashed across her face. Her first instinct was to challenge him, to make him take back the horrible thing he'd just said, but she realized she couldn't. Not because she was afraid to confront Teal'c, but because he was right. By allowing herself to be overcome with guilt, she was wasting precious time and diminishing the colonel's chance of survival.

"Sam?" Daniel asked tentatively. "Are you…?"

"I'm okay," she uttered, slipping her soldier mask back on. "We should probably get moving, huh?"

Teal'c tipped his head in agreement. "Indeed."

Daniel patted Sam reassuringly on the arm and went to help Teal'c retrieve the stretcher. They placed it on the ground as close as they could to Jack and adjusted the sleeping bags covering the hard wooden frame.

Janet approved with a nod. "Looks good, guys. Now comes the hard part." She cleared away Jack's blankets and temporarily relocated the vitals monitor to the injured man's lap. It tolled quietly in the background, ready to alert her should her patient become too stressed by the move. "Teal'c, I want you on the colonel's right side. That's where his worst injuries are, so you'll need to be extra careful how you lift him. Daniel, you're on his left side. I've covered his burn with a thick dressing, but you'll still need to use care around it. I'll get his legs. Are there any questions so far?"

The two men shook their heads.

"All right. Once he's moved, we'll need to immobilize him as much as possible. A backboard would be ideal, but since we don't have one, rolled up blankets and coats will have to do. His right arm is going to be a little tricky because of the two breaks, but I think we can find a position that won't cause him too much discomfort."

"You do not wish to splint his arm prior to the transfer?" Teal'c inquired, already strategizing how to safely move his teammate.

"The bones aren't set. Where the breaks are so close together, trying to set one would likely cause further damage to the other. It'll have to be done surgically when we get back. Anything else? Daniel?"

"I'm good."

Janet knelt down beside Jack rested her hand on his cheek. "Colonel?"

"Hmm?" he replied, not opening his eyes.

"We're about to move you, sir. Try not to tense up – let us do all the work, okay?" She felt him nod. "We'll be as quick as we can, colonel." She positioned herself at his feet and looked up at the others. "He's got some pain medication onboard, but this is still going to hurt like hell. Keep him low to the ground and make things as smooth as possible. Are we ready?"

Daniel carefully slid an arm under Jack's lower back and the other beneath his shoulders. Teal'c did the same, supporting his friend's head and neck to avoid putting pressure on his injured arm.

"We lift on three," Janet said, wrapping her hands around his ankles. "One, two, three… lift!"

Although they were gentle, the movement caused an eruption of pain to flare through Jack's body. He cried out and cursed, the discomfort persisting even after he'd been placed on the well-padded stretcher. His right side was the worst, every gasp for air eliciting a fireball of pain from his broken ribs. He coughed, the coppery taste of blood filling his mouth.

"Oh crap…" Jack groaned, trying in vain to find a depth of breathing that would alleviate the pain in his chest. He felt the warmth of the blankets wrap around his shivering form and a cool hand brush across his forehead. He opened his eyes to find Janet smiling down at him. "Doc?"

"Try to slow your breathing down, colonel," she said, her voice sounding dreamlike and faraway. "Just like before: breathe slow and inhale as deep as you can."

Jack tried to do as he was told. As he worked to even out his breathing, he felt his panic subside and his body start to relax.

"You're doing good, sir. Keep it up," Janet praised, sounding much closer than she had a moment ago. "You handled the transfer perfectly. Daniel and Teal'c are going to help me get you tucked in a bit, and then we'll be ready to go home."

"Go home?" he echoed, the concept sounding both alluring and impossible to his clouded mind.

Janet nodded. "Mm-hmm. We'll just be a few minutes. Major Carter's going to sit here and keep you company, okay?"

"Carter?" He felt someone take his hand and looked over to see his second seated at his side. She was smiling at him, but there was something off about her expression – an emotion hidden just below surface that he couldn't quite identify.

"Hey, colonel. We're almost ready to get you out of here. What do you think of that?"

"Home."

"Yes, sir. We're going home."

"That's go…ah!" Jack cried as Janet gently manipulated his broken arm to allow Teal'c to place a rolled blanket against his side. "Ow…ow crap, that hurts."

Sam grimaced and tightened her grip on his hand. He squeezed back as his bad arm was moved again, his fingers shaking with effort. "They're almost done, sir." She shot a desperate look to Janet who took the hint and picked up the pace. "Just a little bit more."

"There, I think we're done," the doctor said a short time later. "How's that feel, colonel?"

Jack felt no difference until he tried to move. "Can't move."

Janet smiled. "That's kind of the whole idea behind immobilization, sir," she said, helping Daniel arrange his blankets. "It supports existing injuries while lessening the chance of causing new ones. Do any of the supports feel too tight?"

"No."

"That's good." She looked up to the waiting members of SG-1. "Are we ready to try this?"

"More than ready," Daniel answered for everyone.

"All right. I want you and Teal'c carrying the colonel. Sam, do you feel up to leading the way?"

The other woman nodded. "Sure."

"You and I can trade off whenever we get tired, but I'd like to have someone beside him as much as possible. I've had to change the battery pack on the vitals monitor once and it's already at less than half capacity. We're going to have to keep tabs on his condition the old fashion way for most of the trip."

"What of the ma'krell stone?" Teal'c asked.

"Leave it," Daniel replied without hesitation. "It'd be an interesting Goa'uld artifact to have for reference, but after seeing what it's capable of, I don't want it anymore."

Sam offered him a small smile. "Good choice."

Janet finished repacking her supplies and was about to heft the heavy backpack onto her shoulders when a large dark hand stopped her.

"I will carry your equipment, Dr. Fraiser."

"Teal'c, you don't have to do that," she said. "You already have enough to worry about helping Daniel with the colonel."

"I am capable of bearing much weight. Your equipment will not impede my ability to transport O'Neill," he explained. "Were you not injured in the explosion as well?"

The thought of her heavy pack rubbing against the burns on her shoulders for fifteen miles dawned on her for the first time. "Well, yes, but…"

"Then you must not risk damaging yourself further." The Jaffa effortlessly hoisted her backpack onto his shoulders. "Are you able to carry my staff weapon?"

The petite doctor nodded. "I think I can manage that. Thank you, Teal'c."

The large man tipped his head and took his position at the head of the stretcher. Daniel stood waiting at the opposite end, Jack's distressed P90 strapped across his chest.

Sam was hovering by the mouth of the trail, eager to get moving. "We ready?"

"Just about," Janet replied, securing Jack's bag of IV fluids to Teal'c's shoulder with a pin. She collected his staff weapon lying in the grass, and knelt beside her patient one final time. "Colonel? We're going to head out now. I'll be right beside you the whole way, so if you need something just let me know, okay?"

Jack simply nodded, lacking the energy needed to speak.

"All right, guys. Nice and easy." She kept her hand on Jack's arm as Daniel and Teal'c carefully lifted the stretcher off the ground, reassuring him when he groaned at the sudden motion. Only when she was certain that he had settled down again did she give the go ahead for them to move.

With Sam taking the lead, the team left behind the scene of a tragedy and took their first steps towards home.

* * *

><p>"Damn it!" Sam hissed and clutched her broken wrist to her chest. She was becoming acutely aware of how difficult it was to function normally without the full use of both hands. Her current task of sorting through the team's gear was testing her dexterity as well as her patience, especially when it came to operating such simple devices like zippers or snaps. If the others saw her now – sitting on the floor with a backpack pinned between her knees and struggling to work a zipper with her left hand – they'd laugh for sure. In fact, she'd probably never hear the end of it; at least not from the colonel.<p>

The team had traversed the first part of their journey with ease. The path Daniel and Teal'c had cleared was easy to walk on and they covered the two miles in less than an hour. The trail led them directly to their campsite, which she had swept for danger before allowing Jack to be brought in. The two men continued on alone, readying the next part of the trail as they had the first. Sam and Janet remained behind with the colonel, giving him a chance to rest in between trips.

_I wish they'd let me come with them…_ Sam thought as she sorted through Daniel's backpack, careful not to bump her aching wrist. She'd volunteered to help speed up the trail clearing process, but the two men declined. Daniel had told her there was barely enough room out there even for him, especially when Teal'c really got going. So while Janet tended to Jack, she had busied herself with cleaning up the campsite, repacking only the essentials and leaving the rest behind for another team to retrieve at a later time.

Sam pulled a spare set of clothes from Daniel's pack and set them aside. She hated going through her teammate's gear, but they had to travel light. Food, water, and ammo were her primary concerns, along with any small personal effects. She added the archeologist's battered journal and camera to one of the bags of items she was keeping. A dog-eared reference book came next, followed by his food rations and a small stash of chocolate bars.

_How long have you been keeping these from us, Daniel? _She put them in her pocket and made a mental note to question him about it later.

Satisfied she'd collected all she could from the man's pack, she moved onto the final one belonging to the colonel. After wrestling with the zipper, she pulled the bag open and stopped. For some reason she felt even more uncomfortable going through Jack's things than she had the others. She assumed it had to do with him being her superior, but she knew there was more. Jack was a private man, preferring to keep his work and home lives separate. He didn't volunteer personal information about himself or unnecessarily elicit it from others. She felt going through his gear would somehow be a violation of that privacy.

_You wouldn't be in this situation if you'd just followed protocol and examined that rock a little closer before picking it up, now would you? _Sam's inner voice pointed out none too gently. The guilt she'd managed to curb suddenly came rushing back and she found herself on the verge of tears.

_No!_ She scolded herself sharply. _Not now, not here. You don't have the luxury of time to sort through your emotions right now. You've got to keep it together. Get the colonel – get everyone – home, and then you can face the consequences of your actions. Mistake. Accident. Oversight. Major screw-up. _

Sam took a deep breath and began to pull things out of Jack's bag. He mostly had extra ammo and surveillance gear packed inside with a few other items mixed in. She took out the ammo, his favorite binoculars, and a set a night vision goggles and sorted them into the two communal packs. His MRE's and extra water purification tablets followed, along with a few battered personal notebooks bound together with an elastic band. She thought she'd found everything of value when her fingers struck something hard at the bottom of his bag. She pulled it out and smiled at her discovery.

Clutched in her hand was the wooden yo-yo Teal'c had given the colonel the previous Christmas. It was painted in a brilliant yellow with a smiley face drawn on each side. The face looking up at her was winking, its red tongue playfully stuck out from the corner of its mouth. Jack had immediately started playing with it, nearly taking off General Hammond's head when he tried to demonstrate an "around the world" in close quarters. Sam found herself chuckling at the memory. SG-1 had shared some special moments together over the years, and she was grateful for each and every one of them.

Sam tucked the yo-yo into her pocket, not wanting it to get damaged or lost. She zipped the two bags closed and carefully slung them over her shoulder. They were quite heavy, but they still weighed significantly less than their original packs without all the camping gear and extraneous supplies.

She stepped out of the men's tent and looked around the campsite to see if she'd missed anything. All that remained were the two large tents and a pile of soggy ashes left over from their morning fire. Finding nothing of interest, she left the packs by the fire pit and returned to where Janet sat with the colonel.

"Hey," the doctor greeted with a smile. "Find everything all right?"

"I think so," Sam replied, sitting down beside her. "Thankfully this wasn't a mission that Daniel felt compelled to bring his entire reference library along." She looked over at Jack who appeared to be sleeping. "How's he doing?"

"He's hanging in there," Janet said, fussing with his blankets. "He was showing signs of stress when we first arrived, but he's coming out of it okay."

"If he's showing signs of stress after only two miles, what's the rest of the trip going to do to him?"

"There was a chance it would happen. We'll just have to take frequent breaks to let him rest. He's in critical condition, Sam. We shouldn't be trying to move him at all, let alone fifteen miles cross country."

"We don't have a choice."

"I know we don't," Janet said with a sigh. "And I'm not second guessing our decision, it's just difficult to do one thing when all of your training and instincts are telling you to do another."

Sam nodded, familiar with such inner conflicts. _And why is it that the most difficult situations demand the toughest decisions...?_

She sighed and looked at her watch. The planet's first sun was due to set within the hour. "Do you think we'll make it to the game trail before dark?"

"We have to. There's no way we could safely navigate through the heavy brush in the dark, especially with the stretcher. I'm just concerned Teal'c and Daniel are going to jeopardize their own health if they keep moving at such a frantic pace. If we lose even one of them to exhaustion or injury…"

"They can handle it," Sam interrupted. "They know the risks and what's at stake. We all do."

Janet felt reassured by the confidence she heard in her friend's voice. Deep down she knew Sam was right. The strength of SG-1 came from the unique bond shared between each of its four members. Although they functioned as a military unit, they cared for each other like family and would risk it all to save one of their own. It was this fierce loyalty and trust in one another that allowed them to beat the odds and survive, even after most would have had given up all hope.

Sam's radio crackled to life.

_"Major Carter."_

"I'm here, Teal'c. Go ahead."

_"We have cleared a path to the bone yard and will be turning back momentarily."_

Sam allowed herself to relax a little. The men were right on time with the calculations she'd made earlier. If they could keep it up, they'd reach the game trail just before dark and the gate by early morning. It still seemed like a lifetime away, but at least an end to their ordeal was in sight. "All right, Teal'c. Thanks for the heads up. We'll be ready to go when you get here. Carter out."

"Sounds like they're making good time."

"Yeah, they are," Sam agreed. "It should only take them half hour or so to get back here at the pace they're moving."

"Well, then, that gives us plenty of time," Janet said as she got to her feet.

"Time for what?"

"To have something to eat," she replied, brushing bits of stray leaves and grass from her pants. "Any requests?"

Although food was the last thing on her mind, she knew Janet wouldn't leave her alone until she'd eaten. "No. Just as long as it's light."

"All right. I'll see what I can find. Are you okay sitting with the colonel for a few minutes while I heat something up?"

Sam nodded and the doctor left to seek out their meal. Left alone with the sleeping man, she reached out and rested her hand on Jack's good shoulder. A pang of guilt tore through her heart as she felt the awkward, inefficient motion of his breathing through the pile of blankets.

"I'm sorry, colonel," she uttered, unsure what else to say.

Jack shifted beneath her hand and groaned, a wet rattle coming from deep within his chest. Sam was about to call for Janet when he settled down and slipped back into his doze. It was so hard to see him like this, in pain and working just to breath, especially knowing that she was the cause.

Giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze, Sam said the only thing she could think of to give the man some solace. "It'll all be over soon, sir. We'll get you home. I promise."


	6. Chapter 6

Just as Sam predicted, P4J-592's first sun had nearly set by the time the team arrived at the bone yard. The remaining sun provided plenty of light to see by, but the stretched shadows and changing animal sounds gave the alien forest an unsettling look and feel. The group tried not to think about the scores of people that had perished here long ago, but the piles of dark cloth and old bones were hard to miss.

From her position beside Jack's stretcher, Janet stole a look over her shoulder at Daniel. She'd been periodically watching him during their trip from the campsite, trying to gauge his level of fatigue. He seemed to be holding up for the most part, but his fixed stare and occasional misstep told her he was starting to tire.

_He needs a break... _She thought, flashing him a small smile when she realized he knew she was watching him. There was no doubt in her mind he could keep going, driven by his concern for Jack and his loyalty to the team. She was just afraid of exhaustion and the mistakes that often came with it. Normally a simple stumble or brief lapse in attention wouldn't be cause for alarm, but where he was responsible for bearing one end of the colonel's stretcher, even the smallest error could be disastrous.

She'd considered trading places with him, but she knew she'd have a hard time keeping up with Teal'c's rapid pace. Sam certainly couldn't help with her broken wrist, and there was no way Teal'c could carry the colonel alone without the risk of further injury. Having everyone stop for a break would put them behind schedule and potentially strand them in the woods if they failed to make the game trail before dark. That left her with only one option, and it wasn't something she was particularly comfortable with.

"Hey, Sam," Janet called up to her friend. "Be on the look out for a good place to stop. I'd like to give the colonel a break."

Sam led the group on for another few minutes before coming to a stop in a relatively open patch near the edge of a clearing. As the two men gently lowered the stretcher to the ground, Janet was already reaching into her jacket for the stethoscope she had looped around her neck. Jack had been quiet during the trip and she was anxious to see how he'd fared.

She shifted the blankets aside and began to access his breathing. The left side of his chest sounded clear and normal, but the right side had definitely worsened since the last time she'd checked. The sounds she was listening for were more muffled than before, indicating that fluid was continuing to build up around his lung. His inhalations were short, and the presence of a crackly wheeze told her there was fluid leaking into his lung as well.

"Turn the monitor on for me, would you, Teal'c?" she asked, replacing the blankets to help preserve his body heat.

The Jaffa inclined his head and activated the small device tucked next Jack's leg. After a brief startup sequence the machine came to life, emitting various tones and displaying numbers as it gathered information from the colonel.

Daniel sat down heavily near Jack's head, a bag of IV fluids still pinned to his jacket. "Sounds fast," he said, referring to the monotone beep representing his friend's heartbeat.

"It is," Janet agreed, leaning over to see the monitor's small display. "All his numbers are high."

"What does this mean?"

"He's just stressed from travel, Teal'c," Sam explained. "It happened last time too."

"Are we going too fast?" Daniel asked. "Have we been too rough? I know I stumbled a few times, but I thought I caught myself in time not to…"

Janet held up her hand to quiet him. "It's all right. You didn't cause it, and there's nothing you could have done to prevent it. Like I told Sam earlier, travel is very hard on someone that's as sick as the colonel. We just have to keep a close eye on him, and let him to rest when it looks like he's becoming overstressed."

"While O'Neill is resting, we should continue to clear a path through the woods."

Anyone looking would have seen a brief flash of weariness cross Daniel's face. "Yeah, I'm with you, Teal'c," he replied, working to free the pin holding the drip bag to his jacket. "Hang on a second."

"Daniel, I'd like you to sit this one out," Janet said and braced for an argument.

He looked up from wrestling with the pin. "What? Me? Why? What did I do wrong?"

"You haven't done anything wrong. I just want you to take a break."

"A break? No, there's no time. No, I-I can't," he stammered, still taken aback by the doctor's suggestion. "I'm fine, really. I'm not tired at all." Janet gave him a dubious look and he relented. "All right, I'm not _that_ tired. I can keep going."

"I'm sure you can, but you've been going full tilt for hours. You need to slow down, rest, and have something more substantial than an energy bar to eat or else you're going to exhaust yourself."

Sam saw the reluctance on her teammate's face. "It couldn't hurt, Daniel. I didn't think I was hungry until I had something to eat, then I found out I was starving."

"We still have a long ways to go," Janet added. "This will probably be the last opportunity for you to rest before we reach the gate."

"And if I stop, who will help Teal'c?"

"I'll go."

Janet shook her head. "Uh-uh. Absolutely not, Sam. Not with your broken wrist."

"I shall go alone."

Again the doctor disagreed. "It's too much work for one person, Teal'c. Even for you. I was thinking of going myself."

The three members of SG-1 erupted all at once.

"No! You can't!"

"You have to stay with Jack!"

"O'Neill may need your assistance."

It was the response she'd expected. "I'm not comfortable with the idea either, but I don't see any other options."

"I'll go," a weak, breathy voice volunteered.

"Colonel." Janet knelt down beside the injured officer.

"Help me up."

She searched his face, looking for the telltale signs that he was joking. When she failed to find the twinkle in his eye or the beginnings of a quirky grin, she realized his mental state was starting to slip.

"I appreciate the offer, sir," she said with a kind smile. "But you're not exactly mobile at the moment."

"Just gimme a minute…I can get…I can help," he mumbled.

"Don't worry about it, Jack," Daniel said. "We've got everything covered."

"Daniel?"

The archeologist moved so his friend could see him better. "Hey, Jack. How you feeling?"

"Not one…of my better days." His response came out in a rush of air as he began to cough.

Janet pushed aside the blankets and gently supported his damaged ribs with her hand. By the time he regained control, blood spotted his chin and he was barely conscious.

"Hurts…god…hurts," he panted, his face twisted in a grimace of pain.

"Shh, I know it hurts. I know," Janet soothed as she wiped the blood and sweat from his face. "I'm going to give you something to help, sir. Something for the pain."

Even before she could ask, Teal'c brought her pack of medical supplies over and set them on ground. "Doctor Fraiser…"

"Go, Teal'c," she said, her previous argument against sending him out alone no longer justifiable. "Go clear the path."

With a curt nod and troubled look to Jack, the Jaffa hurried off into the bush.

"Let me go too."

"Sam…"

"No, Janet. Please." There was an edge of desperation in the other woman's voice. "This way you can stay with the colonel, Daniel can rest, and the trail will be cleared quickly. I'll be careful, I promise. I wouldn't say I could do this if I knew I couldn't. Please."

The doctor looked up from her gear bag and met Sam's eyes. What she saw was a fierce determination to help, to try and make things right after something had gone wrong. "Stay behind Teal'c and pace yourself. Use your left hand only. If I find that you've hurt yourself further, I swear to god I'll…"

"Janet – I'll be careful."

"Don't play the hero, Sam."

"I won't," she assured her and jogged off to catch up with Teal'c.

Janet sighed. She wasn't happy sending an injured teammate off into the woods, but for now it seemed to be best option. She quickly finished measuring out a dose of morphine for the colonel. As she turned back to her patient, she glanced at Daniel who was staring down at Jack with his arms wrapped tightly around his chest. She could tell he was upset, both by the condition of his friend and his inability to help. It was something she wanted to defuse, but that would have to come later.

"All right, colonel, here we go," she said, plugging the syringe into his IV.

"Doc?" Jack opened his eyes, his gaze surprisingly clear.

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

He took a wheezy breath, grimaced, and relaxed as the drugs started to work. "All the…the trouble."

"You haven't caused me any trouble at all, sir," she said, brushing his silvering bangs from his forehead. "Now I want you to rest, okay? Everything's going to be fine."

Jack nodded and closed his eyes, unable to fight even such a low dose of morphine in his weakened state.

"Will it really?" Daniel asked, searching her face for the truth. "Will everything – Jack – really be okay?"

The doctor could only shake her head and shrug. It was a question she just couldn't answer fairly. "Let's find you something to eat, huh?"

* * *

><p>Teal'c grunted with effort as he struggled to pull a six-foot sapling from the ground. Its roots slowly separated from the soil making a satisfying ripping sound as they finally tore free. He threw the offending plant over his shoulder and charged forward, looking for his next target. Branches, leaves, and small shrubs were no match for his powerful hands. Rocks and fallen logs were shattered where they sat or kicked out of the way with a cold boot. Bending and twisting, ripping and tearing, Teal'c plowed through the forest leaving an almost perfect path in his wake.<p>

During the occasional quiet moments of his demolition, he could hear Sam making her way along the path behind him. She was keeping good pace, clearing the trail of anything he had missed – which wasn't much. He'd been surprised to see her after the doctor initially said no, but he was grateful to have her along. The distance between the bone yard and the game trail was relatively short, but the vegetation was dense. With two pairs of eyes searching for hazards, the path would be safer. The safer it was, the faster they could move.

Teal'c jerked his hand back from a gnarled old branch as pain flared across his palm. A blister on the soft part of his thumb had burst, exposing the raw, red skin beneath. His hands were badly damaged, his tough calluses no match for the coarse bark and sharp thorns of the alien forest. He'd considered wearing gloves, but he didn't trust their grip, especially when carrying Jack's stretcher.

He grit his teeth and tore the damaged skin away from the broken blister to keep it from ripping further. It hurt, but he'd been taught from a young age to use pain to his advantage, not surrender to it. Teal'c closed his hand and the pain spiked. He directed it inward, turning it into anger and then hatred – hatred towards the Goa'uld and their egotistical obsession for power and control. It was their fault his hands were bleeding. It was their fault for leaving a weapon behind for an innocent being to find.

_It is their fault O'Neill is gravely injured and Major Carter is burdened with guilt…_He thought, his blood slowly starting to boil in his veins. No longer feeling the pain of his abused hands, Teal'c began to rip and tear at the bushes around him. _Had Menoetius not stolen from Cronus and fled like a coward, the ma'krell stone would not have been left for Major Carter to find. If she had not found the stone, O'Neill would not be injured. _

The reasonable part of his mind also knew that if Menoetius hadn't taken up residence on P4J-592, then it was likely SG-1 would not have been sent to the planet in the first place. But as far as he was concerned, that point was moot. He viewed the injuring of his friends as just another example of how the Goa'uld continued to destroy lives. What bothered him most was that they could do it even hundreds of years after they'd abandoned one planet for another.

Teal'c tore at a leafy shrub blocking his path. It was large, towering well over his head with branches and vines jutting out in all directions. He could have easily gone around it by adjusting his course slightly, but he was too engulfed with anger see such things. With an animal like growl, he flung himself at the plant and found himself plummeting face first into nothingness.

Further down on the trail, Sam heard what she thought was a low growl followed by a commotion in the bushes. "Teal'c?" she called, straining to see through the thick vegetation. When he didn't respond, she readied her weapon and hurried down the path. What greeted her at the other end were her friend's booted feet sticking out of the tall grass.

"Teal'c!" She gave a cursory glance around to check for obvious signs of danger before plunging through grass. She found the Jaffa warrior lying face down in the dirt; his jacket covered in shredded leaves and snapped vines. "Teal'c? Can you hear me? Are you…?"

"I am fine," the large man rumbled, picking his head up from the ground. His expression was a mixture of anger and embarrassment, a combination Sam found rather odd.

"Are you sure? Did you see something? What happened?"

"I saw nothing," he replied, not ready to admit a moment of self-induced rage had blinded him. "I was merely clearing the path when I tripped."

"That's strange, because I thought I heard…" Sam realized Teal'c was still on the ground and stuck out her good hand to help him up. "I'm glad you're okay."

Teal'c accepted her hand and slowly got to his feet. "As am I."

As she helped to brush the scraps of leaves and grass off of her teammate's uniform, Sam took notice of their surroundings for the first time. "Looks like you found the game trail all right."

He observed the wide path stretching out before them, leading off into the depths of the forest. "Indeed. Doctor Fraiser will be pleased." The light abruptly began to shift around them, the blue sky rapidly taking on a golden hue. "The shadows are changing."

"The second sun is starting to set. It won't be long before it's dark."

"We must return to the others at once." He quickly cleared the last few feet of the trail before heading off. As they walked, he made note of how clean the path was. "You did an exceptionable job finishing the trail, Major Carter."

Sam smiled modestly. "You did all the work, Teal'c, I just kicked a few stones out of the way. Besides, it was the least I could. I got us into this mess, after all."

"This was not your doing."

"Yes it was. I'm the one that set the ma'krell stone off. I'm responsible. I could have killed Janet, the colonel, myself…" She hung her head, the guilt coming back like a tidal wave. "Who am I kidding? The colonel probably won't even make it…"

Teal'c abruptly stopped on the trail, scarcely moving when Sam ran solidly into his back.

"Teal'c! What's…?"

"You must not blame yourself for this, Major Carter," he said solemnly. "You cannot allow the guilt to consume you."

She met his dark eyes as he turned to face her, the compassion she saw making a lump form in her throat. "It's not that easy, Teal'c."

"It was an accident."

"Even accidents have consequences."

"Did you know the ma'krell stone was a weapon when you discovered it on the ground?" he asked.

"No."

"Did you disobey an order from O'Neill not to touch it?"

"He didn't even know about it until I picked it up to show him."

"Then your actions were not deliberate. O'Neill will not hold you responsible."

"I wish I could say the same for myself."

Teal'c heaved an inward sigh. During his time on Earth, he'd come to learn a great deal about humans. While he could relate to many of their customs, there were some he felt he would never understand. One such habit was their reluctance to shed guilt over matters for which they had no control. It was a tiresome practice; using up precious time and energy that could be better utilized somewhere else.

"In our efforts to defeat the Goa'uld, we have all done things we regret and, at times, have caused unintentional harm to the ones for which we care. It is one of the many sacrifices we make to protect your world and others from a life of slavery and fear."

"To lose one of you guys would be devastating enough, but to know it was by my hand…" Sam shook her head, hanging onto her emotions by a thread. "I don't think I could live with myself after that."

"O'Neill may yet survive his injuries."

"But he might not."

"If you fear the outcome of the future, you cannot exist in the present," Teal'c said, placing his large hands on her shoulders. "We need you here now, Major Carter. _O'Neill _needs you."

Sam forced herself to nod. His words rang true, but so did the cliché 'easier said than done.'

"There will be time later to atone your mistake should you desire to do so. But now we must return to the others if O'Neill is to get the chance at survival he deserves."

"Thanks, Teal'c," she said quietly.

He gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze before turning on his heel and starting off down the trail. Sam watched him go, wanting a moment to herself. She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. It had been a rough day and she suspected it was going to get even rougher before they finally reached the gate. They still had ten miles to go and she was already feeling physically and emotionally drained. Her broken wrist was starting to hurt again too.

Teal'c had been right. Although he'd said it more eloquently, she had to suck it up and get her head straight if she was to be there for her team. There would be time later to place blame and make things right.

Letting go of a tense sigh, she purposely squared her shoulders. There was a job to be done and she had to do her part. Forcing her personal emotions and fears to the back of her mind, Sam jogged off to catch up with her friend.

* * *

><p>SG-1's second night on P4J-592 proved to be just as cold and dark as the first. The planet's primary sun had set not long after they'd arrived at the game trail, turning the pleasant landscape into a murky field of shadows. A constant breeze stirred through the bushes and rattled the trees, making the forest itself seem alive and restless. Small nocturnal creatures scurried unseen amongst the scrub, their shrill voices sounding like mad laughter.<p>

Sam walked ahead of the others wearing the night vision goggles she had found in Jack's bag. Her main concern was warning the others of potential hazards on the path, but she was keeping a watchful eye out for hidden predators as well. The others wore headlamps to illuminate the trail and help guide them through the pockets of difficult terrain.

They had been traveling for several hours without interruption when Sam spotted movement up ahead on the trail. She slowed and held up a fist, silently signaling the others to stop.

"What is it, Major Carter?" Teal'c whispered.

"Something on the trail. I can't tell what it is – turn off your lights."

Janet switched off her own lamp before doing the same to Daniel's and Teal'c's. Except for the slight glow from the stars overhead, the group was plunged into darkness. Sam fiddled with the focus of her goggles, trying to identify what was blocking their path.

"No way…" she uttered, identifying the creature by its gangly shape and large antlers.

"What is it?" Janet asked, coming up beside her.

"You're not going to believe this, but I think it's a moose."

"A moose? Out here?"

Sam shrugged. "Take a look." She took the goggles from her face and passed them down to her friend. Janet slipped them on, her eyes adjusting quickly to the muted green field of vision.

"You're right. It looks just like the ones back on Earth."

Daniel shifted uneasily in the dark. Although he had Jack's P90 strapped to his chest, he still felt vulnerable. "So now what? Can we scare it off?"

"I doubt it," the doctor replied, returning the goggles to Sam. "It's pretty big. And last I knew moose tend to be rather cranky. It might try to charge us."

"I don't think we can go around it either," Sam added in a hushed voice. "Not with the colonel the way he is anyway. The forest is really dense here. We'd never get the stretcher through."

Teal'c's solution proved to more direct. "We must neutralize it."

"You want to _shoot_ it?"

"Its death would be unfortunate and wasteful, but I do not see any other way."

"Shooting it won't work, you guys. It's got to weigh at least a thousand pounds. We'd never be able to move it off the trail," Sam said, watching the large creature munch nonchalantly on a bush. "And trying to climb over it would be a disaster."

"So what do we do?" Daniel asked. "We can't scare it, go around it, or shoot it. How do we convince a half ton alien moose to…mosey along?"

Nobody could think of anything. They just stood in the dark, listening to the ominous crunching of the unseen beast. A solution finally came to one of them, but it was last person any of them expected.

A barely audible voice rose from the darkness.

"Repeat yourself, Daniel Jackson."

"That wasn't me, Teal'c."

"Then who was it?" Sam asked, having heard the low mumble as well.

"I don't…" Daniel looked down, just able to make out the colonel's form in the faint starlight. There was movement and his eyes widened in surprise. "Guys, I think Jack's awake."

Leaving Sam to keep an eye on their visitor, Janet hurried around to the side of the stretcher. "Colonel?" She pulled a penlight from her vest and used her hand to defuse the beam. There was just enough light for her to see that the man was indeed awake. "Colonel, what's wrong?"

"Kinda dark."

"I know. We've run into a bit of a problem and Sam thought it was best if we turned out our lights."

"Moose?"

"Yes, sir," she said, wondering how long he'd been awake. "There's a moose standing on the trail. Our options are limited and we're not sure how to get around him just yet."

"Bigger moose."

"A bigger moose? What do you mean?" She heard him draw a difficult breath. Talking had become a tremendous waste of energy for the injured man, but she needed clarification. "Colonel?"

"I believe I know what O'Neill is referring to, Doctor Fraiser," Teal'c said over his shoulder. "Are you able to change positions with me?"

"I think so." Grateful for her small stature, the petite woman ducked down and slipped in between the Jaffa and the stretcher. She took a firm grip on the wooden poles and tested the weight. It pulled uncomfortably at her sore back, but she felt she could manage it for a short time. "All right. I've got him."

Teal'c slowly released his grip on the stretcher, staying close until he was certain she was situated. Filtering the beam of his flashlight with his hand, he located his staff weapon propped up against a tree.

"What are you going to do?" Sam asked when he appeared at her side.

"Attempt a charade."

"A what?"

"Observe." He turned his staff weapon sideways and braced it against his forehead. Switching on his headlamp, Teal'c pulled himself up to full height and started walking toward the animal.

"Teal'c!" Sam hissed, bringing up her P90.

Projecting confidence and authority, Teal'c made his way down the path displaying his improvised rack of antlers. At first the moose was too absorbed in its meal to take notice of the oddity walking toward him. When he finally did, however, the bull wheeled around to face the intruder with alarming speed and grace. He stomped, snorted, and shook his massive head, brandishing his antlers.

_Oh, god, Teal'c, be careful! _Sam thought, clearly able to see the creature's show of dominance through her goggles.

Teal'c squared his shoulders and mirrored the creature's display. Everything the moose did, he tried to do bigger and better. When it snorted, he'd snort louder. When it rocked its head slowly back and forth, he'd rock slower. When it took a step back, he'd take a step forward. If the moose advanced, he stood his ground.

Although their strange dance of power had only been going on for a few minutes, it felt like an eternity to Sam and the others. It was agonizing to watch, everyone wondering what would happen if the moose suddenly decided to drop its head and charge. Between the stretcher and dense forest, there was literally no place for SG-1 to run.

Sam fingered her weapon's trigger. She had no idea how much firepower it would take to drop an adult bull moose. Even if she did manage to get a kill shot the first time, any momentum the creature had built up in its charge would propel it forward into them. No matter how she looked at it, the situation was not tipped in their favor.

So caught up in his display, Teal'c failed to notice his hand slipping toward the firing mechanism of his staff. As he shook his head at the large animal, the weapon fired, sending a wad of flaming energy into the trunk of a nearby tree. The moose snorted in surprise, its eyes wide in the flickering light. Sensing the creature's indecision, Teal'c put his head down and charged, letting loose a yell worthy of a warrior in battle. Confused, frightened, and decidedly out matched, the moose gave a strangled grunt and plunged into the bushes, its huge mass and strength allowing it to break through the dense tangle of weeds with ease.

With the sound of the moose's panicked flight fading into the woods, Teal'c lowered his staff weapon and rejoined his friends.

"A charade, huh?" Sam asked, noting the pleased look on the Jaffa's face.

"Indeed," he replied. "O'Neill's plan was successful. I do not believe that moose will trouble us again."

"Let's hope not," Daniel said, adjusting his grip on the stretcher as Teal'c and Janet exchanged places. "'Cuz I don't think he'd buy it a second time."

"Are we ready to go?" Sam asked, starting to feel the chill of the night air her through her jacket.

"Just a second." Janet took a moment to check on Jack. He was asleep again, his raspy breathing slow and shallow. She gave his arm a reassuring pat and pulled the heavy blankets up under his chin. "Okay, Sam. We're good to go."

Making a quick adjustment to her night vision goggles, Sam took lead of the procession once again. Despite their impromptu meeting with the moose, the group had made good time. Based on the landmarks she was seeing, she estimated they had a little over five miles left to go. It was a relief to know an end was in sight, and in just a few short hours they would be home.

Little did she know, however, just how difficult those few short hours would turn out to be.

* * *

><p>Sam puffed herself up against the chill of the night air. She found herself wishing for a pull down hat and a pair of decent gloves, but most of the team's cold weather gear had been left back at the campsite. It had seemed like extraneous equipment at the time; she'd forgotten how frigid the planet became at night. The trees provided them with some protection against the wind, but every so often a stiff gust would find its way through and leave them all shivering.<p>

She looked at her watch. It was just after 0200 back home. If they kept up their current pace, they'd be stepping through the gate just as the work shifts were changing over. She suspected they'd have to slow down some; especially once they reached the tree line near the top of the mountain. Their ascent had begun about a mile before, the terrain changing from leaf litter to packed dirt and crushed gravel. Several times already she'd had to raise warning about loose footing, knowing even a slight stumble with the stretcher would be devastating.

"Guys, we need to stop."

Hearing Janet's command, Sam quickly returned to the others, exchanging her night vision goggles for a headlamp as she went. "What's wrong?"

"He's in distress," the doctor replied, wrestling her stethoscope from under her coat. She slid the metal disc beneath the blankets and listened to the harsh sounds coming from Jack's chest. "We need to set him down, but I want him turned so his feet are pointing downhill. Elevating his head and shoulders should help him breathe."

Sam stepped out of the way as Daniel and Teal'c maneuvered the stretcher and carefully placed it on the ground. As they passed her, she got her first look at the condition of her CO. What she saw immediately concerned her.

Ghostly pale in the low light, the injured man was sweating despite the cold air. Thick cords of muscle stood out on his neck as he worked to pull in enough oxygen, the pain of each breath evident on his face. He was definitely in trouble and they were still miles away from home.

"Teal'c, in one of the large pockets of my bag you'll find some oxygen masks. Grab one and a tank off the side," Janet said as she knelt beside the colonel. "Daniel, get the vitals monitor started up. I need the readout that displays on the Oxy/Sat line." She bent over her patient and patted his cheek, trying to gauge his level of consciousness. "Colonel O'Neill? Can you hear me, sir?"

Jack's eyes opened briefly and he tried to say something, the effort sparking a violent coughing fit.

Janet cursed under her breath. "Sam, can you come here please?"

"What do you need?" Sam asked, joining her friend on the ground.

"Your hand."

She held out her good hand, which the doctor took and placed firmly against the right side of Jack's chest. Even through the thick padding of bandages, Sam could still feel the sickening shift and grate of his broken ribs as he coughed.

"Keep your hand right here," Janet instructed, showing her how much pressure to use. "It'll help with the pain."

"Doctor Fraiser." Teal'c appeared with the items she'd requested in his large hands.

"Thank you." She quickly assembled the oxygen unit and slipped the mask over Jack's face. "Easy, sir. Try to calm down."

Aided by the extra oxygen, the injured man gradually brought his coughing under control. Fine drops of blood coated the inside of the mask, confirming that he was still bleeding inside. Exhausted and hurting, Jack sagged into the deep pile of sleeping bags and panted shallowly for air.

With a nod from Janet, Sam released the light pressure she was holding against Jack's chest and searched for his hand beneath the blankets. She found it, and was surprised when it closed weakly around her own.

"You're doing good, sir," Janet said as she mopped the sweat from his forehead. She knew his body was starting to fail and that it was only a matter of time before it gave out completely. If they were still in the middle of the woods when that happened, there would be little if anything she could do to prevent it. "Daniel, the monitor?" she asked, realizing she hadn't heard its familiar chime.

"It won't work."

"What?"

"It won't work," the archeologist repeated. "I flipped the switch, it came on for a split second and then shut off."

"Damn battery," Janet muttered, silently wishing she'd never seen the machine's advertisement in one of her medical journals. "Teal'c, there's a spare battery in the electronics case. Help Daniel change it over and get it going."

"Doc…" Jack uttered breathlessly. "Doc…"

"Try not to talk, colonel," she said. "You're going to be all right."

He shook his head. "I can't…I…" He wheezed, coughed, and grimaced. "It…hurts…I…help please…"

Janet bit down hard on her bottom lip, fighting to keep her personal emotions in check. She'd known since the first exam that his injuries were life threatening, but she'd privately hoped they would make it home before he started to crash. Seeing him now and hearing his plea hurt her straight through to the core. The man was slowly dying. She knew she could buy him some time, but she honestly didn't think it would be enough to save him.

"We got it!" Daniel's momentary excitement over the monitor fell short on the others.

"We have succeeded in activating the vitals monitor, however I am uncertain as to how long it will remain functional," Teal'c reported. "The replacement battery is significantly low on energy."

"It's the cold," Janet replied absently. "Read me the number on the Oxy/Sat line."

Daniel consulted the monitor, many of the readouts foreign to him. "It says 76…no, wait…72."

The doctor closed her eyes. Jack's oxygen level was low, just as she'd suspected it would be. Although it wasn't her preferred course of action, Janet knew what she had to do. "Teal'c, can you bring my gear bag over here please?"

The large man did as she asked, picking up the heavy pack as if it were full of clouds. "Are you able to help him, Doctor Fraiser?"

"I'm going to try, Teal'c." She unzipped the bag completely, its two halves spreading open like a book. "I'm going to need your help, Sam. And Daniel's too."

"What are you going to do?" the archeologist asked, his anxious expression readable even in the dim light.

"I'm going to put in a chest tube."

Sam's eyebrows rose. "Now? Out here?"

"I realize it's not the most ideal situation, but his condition is deteriorating fast," Janet said as she began to sort out the supplies she'd need. "His internal damage is substantial, and complications are starting to develop. If I can drain the free blood from his chest and relieve some of the stress on his body, it might give him the extra boost he needs to make it through the gate."

"Is it dangerous?" Daniel asked.

"In a hospital setting it's quite routine," she said, continuing after a brief hesitation. "But doing it out here poses some risks." She saw the reservation on her friend's faces. "If it's any consolation, this isn't my first time doing this. Or his."

"If there is even a remote chance to preserve O'Neill's life, then you must attempt this procedure."

Janet looked up at the large Jaffa, thankful for his black and white way of thinking. "Teal'c, I know I said earlier that clearing a trail was too much work for one person, but…"

"I will clear the path from here to the tree line," he replied. "The distance is short. It will not take me long."

"Teal'c, wait," Sam called as her teammate turned to leave. She tossed him the pair of night vision goggles and her P90. "Just in case."

Teal'c accepted the items and tipped his head in thanks. He paused a moment to regard Jack, silently willing his warrior brother to be brave and strong. He sensed the injured human had little strength left with which to fight, and his determination to get him home grew. Feeling a fresh surge of energy flood his tiring muscles, he secured his gear and jogged off into the night.

* * *

><p>In spite of the cold, Daniel was sweating bullets. He'd foolishly watched Janet make the first incision into Jack's chest and was now battling a mild case of shock. He didn't really consider himself to be squeamish, but he'd never seen anyone get deliberately cut into before either. He tried telling himself that Janet knew what she was doing and that she was helping Jack, not hurting him. But then the memory of his friend's blood on the scalpel would flash into his mind and he'd start to feel sick all over again.<p>

"Daniel, you need to keep his arm tighter."

"Sorry, Janet," he mumbled, the other man grunting as he took a firmer grip on his arm. "Sorry, Jack." He'd been given the duel task of restraining Jack and keeping his arm in the proper position during the procedure. Daniel thought the assignment sounded simple enough until he'd learned it was Jack's right arm that needed to be stretched tightly and kept behind his head. The sounds of Jack's cries as they manipulated his broken arm still echoed in Daniel's mind, and he was certain they would continue to haunt him for days to come.

"Hemostat."

Sam quickly placed the requested item into Janet's waiting hand. Her field medical training qualified her to assist with the emergency surgery, and she was doing her best despite being one handed. The sight of blood didn't bother her as much as the fact that it belonged to her commanding officer did. Like Daniel, she tried not to watch as the doctor worked, but she often found herself having a hard time looking away.

"All right, this next part is going to hurt," Janet warned. "I've numbed the area with local anesthetic, but he's still going to feel some of it. Daniel…"

"I've got him," he assured her, hoping he sounded more confident than he really was. He felt Jack's body stiffen as the doctor set to work, slowly advancing the hemostat through the muscles of his chest wall. "It's all right, Jack. Let it out," he urged, suspecting his friend was trying to weather through the pain in silence.

Jack groaned and tried to move, but Daniel was holding him tight. It was impossible to tell what was worse: the grinding protest of his broken arm and collarbone or the feel of cold metal tearing its way through his body. He wished for nothing more than to escape into the pain free realm of unconsciousness, but the darkness refused to come.

There was a quiet hiss as Janet finally punched through the thick layers of muscle and into the open space surrounding Jack's compromised lung. She carefully widened the hole and withdrew the hemostat. "Tube," she said, holding her gloved hand out to Sam. Locking the hemostat's jaws onto the perforated end of the plastic tube, she inserted it through the incision and began to slowly guide it into the man's chest.

Feeling every move the doctor made, Jack uttered a strangled half groan, half cry and tried to shift away from her hands.

"I know it hurts, sir, but you have to stay still," Janet said, her eyes never leaving her work. "I'm almost done."

"Come on, Jack. You're doing good," Daniel said, trying to keep his friend's attention. "She's almost done. Just a little longer. You can do this." His encouraging words failed to get through, and he was surprised to feel the colonel's back start to lift off the ground.

"Daniel!" Janet's warning was sharp, but she needed her patient still.

Reacting on impulse, Daniel gripped Jack's broken arm and leaned heavily onto his good shoulder. There was an audible crack and Jack cried out, his body going rigid for several seconds before falling completely limp. "Jack? Jack!" For one horrible moment, he was certain his friend had stopped breathing. "Janet!"

"It's all right, Daniel, he just passed out," Janet explained, silently amazed the weakened man had been able to hold out for as long as he did. She finished advancing the flexible tube and released it from the jaws of the hemostat. A few moments later, darkened blood began to drip from the tube's exposed end and onto the ground. Without looking up from her work, she held out her hand. "Valve."

Sam handed her the small, one-way valve that would keep the draining blood from reentering Jack's chest. "Is it working?" she asked, passing her the plastic collection bag when she indicated she was ready for it.

Janet fastened the bag over the valve's opening to contain the blood that was now flowing steadily from the tube. "It looks good so far, but it'll be a few minutes before we know how much it's going to help. Can I have the sutures, please?"

Sam watched quietly as the doctor used several neat stitches to anchor the tube in place and close the sides of the incision. She finished by cleaning the surgical site and covering it with a thick bandage.

"There. I'm done," Janet declared, stripping off her gloves and depositing them in a red bio bag. She cleared the sterile drapes away from Jack's chest and pulled the blankets back over him. "You can ease up on his arm now, Daniel."

Still feeling decidedly sick from the whole experience, the archeologist shifted his weight off Jack's body and slowly sat up. He looked down at the unconscious man. If it weren't for his ragged breathing, Daniel would have sworn he was dead. "I didn't hurt him, did I?" he asked. "I didn't break another one of his ribs or…?"

"Break a rib?" Janet echoed as she carefully repositioned Jack's broken arm. "What makes you think that?"

"When I leaned into him that last time, I heard a crack right before he passed out."

Janet frowned. She vaguely recalled hearing the crack he was referring to, but certainly didn't think he'd handled the colonel rough enough to break a bone. On a hunch, she gently felt around the broken portion of Jack's arm and collarbone. What she found made her smile. "Congratulations, Daniel. You just set your first broken bone."

The man's mouth fell open. "I what?"

"That last pull you gave his arm was enough to bring his collarbone back into alignment. We'll still take an x-ray to be certain it's in the correct position, but it feels pretty good."

"You mean I…and that cracking sound was…oh boy…" Had the lighting been better, the two women would have seen his face take on a pale shade of green.

"It's all right, Daniel," Sam said. "The colonel was my first time too."

The archeologist swallowed back his rising stomach. "That doesn't help me very much, but thank you anyway."

Janet's amused grin faded as she put on her stethoscope and began listening to Jack's breathing.

"What is it?" Sam asked, seeing the change in her friend's expression.

"He's breathing a little better…"

"But…?" Daniel pushed when she didn't offer more.

The doctor switched on the vitals monitor and waited for it to calibrate. The small machine managed to keep its display lit for a full fifteen seconds before going dark; its final battery drained of power. Luckily she'd had time to see the number she was most concerned about.

"His oxygen level is still way lower than it needs to be," she said, continuing on when she saw the dismay on both of their faces. "But it should be enough of an improvement to get him home."

"And then what?" Daniel asked, hating to think the torture they'd just put Jack through had been to merely buy him a few more hours of suffering.

"And then we wait and see." Janet knew it was an unfair and cryptic answer, but there was little she could say without giving false hope or dampening their spirits even further. At the moment, things didn't look good for the colonel. He was weak, breathing poorly, and bleeding from places that only a skilled surgeon could reach. She wasn't about to give up on him though. As long as his will to survive remained, she knew there was a chance he could walk away from this terrible misfortune.

A noise in the woods brought both Sam and Daniel to their feet. Fearing the moose or another large creature had found them, Sam retrieved Jack's P90 and clutched it in her good hand. She was about to try her radio to discern Teal'c's location, when his familiar shape came into view.

"Major Carter, it is I," he called, sounding out of breath.

"Teal'c, you scared us," Daniel said. "We didn't expect you to be back so soon."

"The distance between us and the Stargate is short," he replied, stepping into their light. "The soil is rocky and the plant roots are shallow. I was able to clear a path with little difficulty."

Sam's eyes widened when she saw that the lower half of his right leg was covered in blood. "Teal'c! What happened?"

"In my haste, I failed to see a rock in my path. My leg sustained moderate damage, but I was able to continue."

"Let me take a look at you."

"Do not concern yourself with me, Doctor Fraiser. We must get O'Neill home."

"But Teal'c," Daniel protested. "You're bleeding."

"My symbiote will sustain me and heal my wounds in time," the Jaffa said, unwilling to discuss the matter further. "Is O'Neill able to travel?"

The petite doctor nodded. "He is."

"Then we should depart immediately."

Although she would have preferred to take a look at his injuries, Janet knew there was little sense in trying to argue further. She just hoped his confidence in the healing capabilities of his larval Goa'uld wasn't about to put the colonel at risk.

With Sam's help, Janet repacked her gear and prepared Jack to be moved. She watched Teal'c carefully for signs of weakness as he and Daniel lifted the stretcher, but his strength never faltered. He gave no indication of feeling discomfort from his injuries, and she had to trust that he would speak up should the need for assistance arise.

She took a moment to take Jack's pulse and check the condition of his chest tube and IV line. When everything passed her inspection, she tucked in his blankets and adjusted his oxygen mask. Giving the unconscious man's arm a pat, Janet turned to her teammate and said the words they'd all been waiting to hear: "Take us home, Sam."

And that she did.


	7. Chapter 7

General Hammond sat down at his desk and took a moment to enjoy the peace. He liked early mornings at the SGC. They were typically quiet; the hustle and bustle of day shift still several hours away. There were no strobe lights flashing, sirens blaring, or stacks of paperwork to read and fill out in triplicate. It was just him, a cup of coffee, and an empty desk.

_"UNSCHEDULED OFF WORLD GATE ACTIVATION…GENERAL HAMMOND TO THE CONTROL ROOM…"_

Hammond shut his eyes and sighed. His few treasured moments of peace were over. _Sometimes it just doesn't pay to be the man in charge…_ he thought as he got to his feet and made his way down to the Control Room.

"What have we got, Sergeant?" he asked, approaching the officer seated in front of the computers. He knew there were no teams due back until later that morning. Based on past experiences, an incoming wormhole at this hour tended mean only one thing: trouble.

"It's an incoming wormhole, sir. We're receiving SG-1's IDC."

"Open the iris."

The gate's protective shield whirled open to reveal the shimmering energy field of the event horizon. Several MPs took up defensive positions around the room, ready to challenge any hostiles that managed to get through. Even with the iris codes, one truly never knew who was coming through until they were standing on the ramp. Having armed personnel in attendance had saved the SGC from an enemy incursion on more than one occasion.

The first person to come through the gate was Major Carter, her right hand splinted and held protectively against her chest. "We need a medical team!" she shouted, prompting the gate technician to place the call. She moved aside as the vertical pool rippled again, giving her remaining teammates ample room to emerge.

"What on Earth…?" Hammond uttered as he watched the others step out onto the ramp. Teal'c led, followed by Janet and Daniel. The two men had a stretcher suspended between them, the occupant commanding the doctor's full attention. It wasn't difficult for the general to deduce who the casualty was and he quickly made his way down to the gate room.

By the time he got through the blast doors, the gate had disengaged and the MPs were already clearing out. "What in god's name happened to you people?" he asked, taking in their various injuries and the group's all around haggard appearance.

"It's a long story, sir," Sam replied, a harsh, wet cough drawing her attention back over her shoulder.

Janet moved the blankets aside allowing Hammond his first glimpse at the person on the stretcher. Although his face was partially hidden beneath an oxygen mask, he could still tell it was Jack. The other man didn't look well at all. His skin was gray and he labored to breathe, a task that was visibly causing him much pain.

"Easy, colonel," Janet said, placing a comforting hand on his arm as he began to cough again. "Take it easy. We're home now. You're going to be all right."

"Home…" Jack gasped once he'd gotten control of his breathing. "Team home?"

"Yes, sir. Everyone's home."

The general took a few tentative steps toward the stretcher, still not quite believing his eyes. It was always difficult to see his people come home injured, but severe instances like this were always a shock. "Colonel?" As Jack turned his head toward the familiar voice, Hammond was able to see the pattern of dark bruising along the right side of his face.

"Gen…Gen…" He couldn't get enough air to complete the word.

"It's okay, son. Don't try to talk. You're home now. Everything's going to be fine."

Jack managed a partial nod before closing his eyes and seeming to lose consciousness.

"It was my fault, general," Sam said from behind him. "All of it."

"It was an accident," Daniel insisted.

Hammond was about to ask what exactly "it" was when the medical team came rushing through the doors. He stepped back out of the way and watched as Daniel and Teal'c placed Jack on the gurney, stretcher and all. Janet began calling orders, her team working fervently around the fallen man.

"I want to establish a secondary IV access and get him started on positive pressure ventilation immediately. He's bleeding internally and experiencing complications from flail chest. We need to get him prepped and down to OR One as soon as possible. Daniel, get Major Cater and Teal'c down to the infirmary. Let's move, people!" And with that, Janet and her team raced out of the gate room.

Sam turned to Hammond, a look of urgency on her face. "General…"

"It's all right, major. I understand. We'll debrief at a later time," he said. "Get yourselves down to the infirmary – doctor's orders."

"Yes, sir. Thank you."

Hammond watched as she hurried out of the room with the rest of SG-1 close behind. He felt uneasy being left out of the loop, but it was something he had to accept for the time being. His premier team was hurting, dealing with both their own injuries and concern for their leader. The debriefing could wait.

With a cursory glance at the inactive gate, Hammond headed back to his office to wait for an update, wondering what horrors SG-1 had narrowly escaped from this time.

* * *

><p>Gathered in the back corner of the infirmary, the able bodied members of SG-1 were anxiously awaiting news on Jack's condition. After their injuries were tended to, Sam and Teal'c were assigned beds and told to stay put. Daniel had been the fortunate one on this trip, having only picked up a few sores and blisters on his hands from clearing the trails. They were all exhausted, the last mile and half of their journey having been the most difficult. The rocky footing above the tree line had been treacherous in the dark. It was only through sheer luck and determination that they managed to traverse the rough ground without incident. They could only hope enough of that luck still remained to help bring Jack through such a difficult time.<p>

"This all just sounds like a terrible accident," Hammond said, having joined the somber group in the infirmary several hours after their return. He'd been listening to an unofficial recount of their mission, and was appalled to hear what they'd been through. "There was no way you could have known what that stone really was."

Sam stubbornly shook her head and kept quiet, not trusting herself to speak at the moment. She was trying to keep composed in front of the general, but she was having a rough time with it. She was worried, tired, and drugged – a parting gift from the nurse who had tended to her broken hand.

"Major Carter wrongly holds herself responsible for O'Neill's injuries," Teal'c explained, his wounded leg propped up on several pillows.

"He's right, Sam," Daniel agreed, perched on the edge of her bed. "I mean I didn't even know what it was when I picked it up."

"But it didn't react to you," she insisted. "I should have at least been suspicious considering I found it next to the body of a Goa'uld." She sighed and shut her eyes. _If there was only a way to erase the last 24 hours…I could go back and do it again. Only this time I wouldn't be so careless, so complacent…_

Sam's guilty thoughts were interrupted when the infirmary door opened and Janet stepped inside. She paused briefly to speak with a nurse and then made her way down to meet her friends. She looked fatigued, but not upset; a promising sign as far as the others were concerned.

"Is Jack okay?"

"Is he going to make it?"

"Will O'Neill be able to lead us into battle again?"

Janet had barely gotten ten steps into the room before SG-1 erupted into a bevy of questions. She'd expected it and allowed them to query her for a moment before raising a hand to quiet them. She turned to Hammond first and afforded him a tired smile. "General."

"Doctor," he greeted with a nod. "We've all been anxiously awaiting your report."

"I thought you might be," Janet replied, pulling up a chair and sinking into it wearily. "So I got here just as soon as I felt comfortable leaving the colonel."

"Then he made it through okay?" Daniel asked.

"He made it through the surgery, yes, however there were complications," she said, wondering how much she should tell them. "When he was first put under anesthesia, his heart stopped."

A murmur of surprise and shock passed through the small group.

"We got him back, but it showed us just how fragile his condition was. Dr. Warner and I made the decision to repair only what was necessary to save his life and leave the rest for a later time," she explained. "We spent the last several hours working to control his internal bleeding and to stabilize the flail portion of his ribcage. If, in a few days, he shows enough improvement, we'll go back in to set his broken arm and possibly repair some of the damage in his shoulder. He is concussed, but it's secondary to his other injuries. In fact he's lucky he hit the mountainside the way he did. Had he impacted head first instead of shoulder first, it would have likely killed him instantly." Janet paused, allowing the others time to process what she'd said. She was becoming concerned about Sam, the other woman's face having gone impossibly white.

Hammond was the first to speak. "Do you think he'll survive?"

The doctor sighed. It was a loaded question, and she knew she had to be careful how she answered it. "It's really too soon to be making any sort of prognosis. He's very sick right now. Very weak. While we're confident we got his bleeding under control, it was decided to leave the chest tube in place to allow any remaining fluid to drain. His right lung is severely bruised from the force of the impact, and he's unable to properly oxygenate his blood on his own. We've put him on a respirator to ensure his oxygen level is maintained and to help minimize the stress on his body.

"Infection is another big risk factor, especially pneumonia. There's also the energy burn along his left side and the two cracked ribs beneath it. The bones are still intact, so we don't anticipate any major problems to come from them. We cleaned and treated the burn, but we're going to have to monitor it for signs of infection. We'll be watching Major Carter's burn as well."

Sam looked down at her injured hand resting in the sling around her neck. Despite the medication she was on, she could still feel the burn smoldering underneath the thick bandages. The nurse that treated her had opted to use a splint rather than a hard cast to permit the frequent cleanings of her burn. It wasn't the best way to treat a broken wrist, but it greatly reduced the risk of her developing an infection.

Daniel fidgeted with his glasses. "When can we see Jack?"

"We'll have to see how things go, probably sometime tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Sam exclaimed, her tone making it sound like Janet had said never. "But…"

"The colonel is asleep, and I suspect he will remain that way for several days," the doctor said. "I realize you all want to be with him right now, but he needs to rest so his body can start to heal. Hopefully by tomorrow he'll have stabilized enough to were I can let you in for a short visit."

"But if he wakes up…"

"He won't Daniel. He can't. He's on medication that will keep him asleep until we decide it's safe for him to wake up."

"I do not require bed rest to heal my injuries. I wish to remain with O'Neill so that he is not alone."

Janet shook her head. "It's a nice offer, Teal'c, but I'm afraid I can't permit it at this time. The colonel is in the CCU. There's not a lot of room in there, and my staff needs to be able to get to him at a moment's notice. He won't be alone – a critical care nurse will be stationed with him all times."

"What about your injuries?" Hammond asked.

"Thankfully they're superficial," Janet replied, fingering the sore spots along her shoulders. "I've got some bruising and minor swelling where the beam struck me, but I was far enough away from the blast that nothing broke. My back's a little sore from hitting the ground, but I think a hot shower will do wonders for that."

"It's good to know you're all right, doctor, and the rest of you as well," he said, addressing the three members of SG-1. "It sounds like you folks had a rough go of it out there, and I'm glad you made it back. I know it wasn't easy given the colonel's injuries, but you kept your wits about you and got him home alive. I'm confident in saying that he's in the best possible place right now, and in the most capable hands."

Janet's cheeks colored slightly at the praise. "Thank you, sir."

"I'll schedule an official debriefing in a few days to give you all a chance to recover. In the meantime, get some rest." The general offered the haggard looking group a fatherly smile and left the room.

"Rest," the doctor repeated as she stood and carefully stretched out her back. "I think the general read my mind."

"Janet," Sam began, her quiet voice wavering uncharacteristically. "Couldn't we just…I mean isn't there a way we could see the colonel for a minute? Just so we know that he's really…" _Alive…_ Although she couldn't bring herself to say it aloud, her expression clearly articulated her point.

Janet's first instinct was to say no; the colonel needed to rest, as did they all. But then she realized the last time SG-1 had seen their leader was when they were separated in the gate room. The image of Jack near death had been imprinted in their minds and they were desperate to see for themselves that he was indeed alive.

"I'll tell you what," she said, deciding to bend her own rules just a little. "I need to go check on the colonel once more before I crash for awhile. How about I bring Daniel with me and than he can come back and tell you what he saw?"

Daniel blinked in surprise. "Wait – why me?" It wasn't that he didn't want to go, he'd just expected Sam or Teal'c to jump all over the opportunity the moment it offered.

"Because Sam and Teal'c are confined to the infirmary for the next 24 hours for medical observation," Janet replied. "Are you up to going? If you think it'll be too difficult, I can…"

"No, no, I'm good," Daniel said, getting to his feet. He looked at his bed bound friends, feeling a pang of guilt for them not being able to go.

Teal'c seemed to read his thoughts and bowed his head to show there were no hard feelings. "Wish O'Neill well for me, Daniel Jackson."

"Yeah, me too," Sam said. "Tell him we'll see him soon."

"I will."

"Get some rest you two," Janet ordered as she pushed open the door to leave.

"I'll be back," Daniel promised and hurried out of the room, both eager and nervous to see his friend.

* * *

><p>Daniel had a difficult time believing that the man before him was really Jack O'Neill. Hesupposed it was denial, because one good look at the person's face told him exactly who it was. Wrapped in bandages and surrounded by machinery, Jack appeared to be a fragile shell of the man he truly was.<p>

_Fragile…_ Daniel thought ironically. _Now there's a word I never thought I'd associate with Jack…_

He watched in silence as Janet made her checks, too shell-shocked by his friend's appearance to make small talk or ask questions. His eyes kept wandering back to Jack's face, his pale complexion broken only by sporadic blotches of dark bruising. There was a tube down his nose and another in his throat. The bellows of the respirator hissed and clicked rhythmically beside the bed, forcing oxygen into lungs that were too weak to do it on their own.

Daniel jumped when he felt a hand on his back. He looked down to see Janet at his side, studying him with concerned eyes.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly.

"He looks so…I had no idea how…" The archeologist sighed and wrapped his arms around his chest. "He's not going to make it, is he?"

"I know he looks bad now, but there's still a chance he'll come through. The human body is one of the most resilient organic structures out there. I've seen people recover from injuries even after top-level specialists have said it was impossible."

"He's not feeling any of this, right?"

"He doesn't even know we're here."

Daniel reached out and touched Jack's fingers. They were cold and lifeless. "I wish Sam would stop blaming herself for this."

"I do too," Janet agreed. "And hopefully she will. In time anyway. As teammates, you all share a unique bond; what hurts one of you, hurts you all. With a little patience and persistence, I think you guys can help her see that this was just a horrible mistake."

"I think she'd be more receptive hearing it from Jack. If he doesn't make it, I don't know what she'll…what we'll do."

Except for the impersonal sounds of the medical monitors, the small critical care room fell silent. Daniel allowed his arm to drop across Janet's shoulders, the two friends comforting each other through the rough time. They both cared for Jack as a friend and a leader. To see him this way was difficult; to think about losing him was unbearable.

Both turned to look when the door opened to admit one of the ward's nurses.

"Daniel, this is Captain Tomas," Janet said, introducing the middle-aged woman. "She's one of the critical care nurses I was telling you about earlier. She'll be staying with the colonel tonight."

Tomas tucked the book she was carrying under her arm and held out her hand. "A pleasure to meet you," she greeted, offering a kind smile.

He shook her hand and smiled back awkwardly. "Thanks, you too."

"I read the colonel's report before I came in," Tomas said, getting down to business. "Is there anything else I need to know?"

"Just that his chest tube is still draining quite heavily, so you'll want to keep an eye on that," Janet replied. "Otherwise, he's doing as good as can be expected."

"I guess this means I have to go now, huh?" Daniel asked.

"It means we both need to go. But he's in good hands, right, captain?"

"Yes, ma'am," Tomas replied, preparing to make her own checks of the colonel.

Daniel sighed. All the reassurance in the universe wasn't going to make walking away from his injured friend any easier. "I gotta go, Jack." He knew the older man couldn't hear him, but he still felt the need to say something. "Sam and Teal'c say 'hi' and they hope you get better soon. We all do. Maybe we can all see you tomorrow if Janet says it's okay. You know how she can be sometimes."

He gave the petite doctor an apologetic look, and she tapped her foot in feigned annoyance. "But seriously, Jack, you've got to get better. I know it won't be easy, but doing things the easy way has never been your style. SG-1 needs you, Jack. We can't defeat the Goa'uld without you."

Not trusting his voice any longer, Daniel patted his friend on the arm and indicated to Janet he was ready to leave.

"I'll be asleep in my office if anyone needs me," she told the duty nurse as she gently herded him toward the door. "You all right?" she asked once they were out in the hall.

Daniel nodded, pulling off his glasses and wiping the moisture from his eyes. "Yeah," he sniffed. "I thought I could I keep it together, but…"

"It's hard to see someone you care about in a situation like this. It's even hard for me, and I'm supposed to be the impartial one." They began to walk slowly down the hall. "I guess the important thing to remember is that it's okay to cry and to be afraid and to be sad and even angry. You have to get those emotions out before you can move on and become strong again."

"I know…it's just after seeing Jack…I can't help but think the worst."

Janet reached out and stopped him in his tracks. "I know it's easier said than done, but you can't think that way, Daniel. You'll bring yourself down and everyone else around you. And that includes the colonel once he starts becoming aware of his surroundings. If he's going to have a chance to come out of this, then he needs support from those who care about him most. Right now, that's you, Sam, and Teal'c."

Daniel looked at her through watery eyes. "You really think he has a chance to survive this? Even after nearly losing him during surgery and seeing the damage firsthand, you seriously believe Jack can walk away from this?"

"I think he has a better shot than most."

It wasn't yes; it wasn't no. It was just a safe way of saying maybe. And for some reason, a maybe was more reassuring right now than a definitive yes or no.

Janet saw the acceptance in his eyes and felt him relax. "Come on," she said, taking him by the arm and leading him toward the infirmary. "Go fill in Sam and Teal'c and then I want you to get some rest."

"I'm really not that tired."

"No, you're exhausted. Just like me. Trust me, Daniel; you need to get some sleep. I can confine you to the infirmary with the others if you'd like…"

"No – no, that's okay," Daniel insisted, more willing to follow orders now that she was issuing threats. "I'll get some sleep. I promise." They paused outside the infirmary doors. "Thank you for letting me see Jack. It was hard, but I feel better for having done it."

"You're welcome. Hopefully it will be encouraging to the others as well." She motioned toward the closed door. "Good luck and try to keep it short. Remember, you all need to…"

"Rest," Daniel said with a smile. "Right."

She nodded and headed for her office. "Sleep well."

"You too." Daniel went to open the door, but his hand stopped mid-reach. His mind suddenly began to race wildly with thoughts and emotions. _What am I going to tell them? How am I going to tell them? I don't want to make them more upset – especially Sam. What if I say the wrong thing? What if I give them false hope? What if I frighten them more? What if…_

He abruptly shook his head to quell the barrage of thoughts. _You tell them the truth,_ the sensible part of his brain said. _You tell them that Jack is sick, but alive, and that he's being taken care of by Janet's capable staff. If they ask questions, you answer them with facts, not emotional embellishments. _

He sighed and reached for the doorknob again. This time he was able to grasp it, but his hand still refused to turn. _This is crazy…_ he thought. _It's not like I'm going in to tell them Jack is dead. He's not – he's very much alive. He just looks…fragile…vulnerable… weak…helpless…dead. _He cringed at the last one. It was definitely not something he wanted to share with his friends.

_Just go in and get it over with. If they get upset, you comfort them, just like Janet did for you. Simple as that. _Daniel snorted softly. _Simple…right. That's what this is._

He drummed his fingers on the knob. It was now or never. And while he tended to lean toward never, he knew what had to be done. Drawing a deep breath, Daniel closed his hand over the knob and gave it a turn. His friends were waiting.

* * *

><p>Even with all Daniel had told her the day before, seeing Jack for the first time was still a shock for Sam. Just two days before they'd been sitting around a campfire on an alien world, eating breakfast and finalizing the day's plans. There was joking and laughter – everyone blissfully unaware of the planet's hidden danger and the tragedy to come.<p>

She was watching Jack sleep. He looked terrible; bruised, bandaged, and surrounded by more machines than she had down in her lab. She was reminded of the first time she'd seen him after they'd nearly died in the bowels of an Antarctic crevasse. She'd felt quite certain there was no way he could have looked any worse, but as she looked at him now, she realized just how wrong she had been.

"I'm sorry, colonel," Sam said quietly, resting her hand against his arm. She searched his face, hoping to find some small sign that he was really in there, but his slack features revealed nothing.

_You did this_… The abruptness of the thought made her physically jump. _There's no gate anomaly or malfunction to blame this time. Only you…_

Sam took a step away from the bed. She would have kept going right out of the room if she hadn't backed into something solid and warm.

"Sorry, Teal'c," she uttered. "I didn't hear you come in."

Rather than stepping aside to let her by, the large man put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It is most distressing to see O'Neill in this condition."

"Yeah, it is."

"It troubles me to think of going into battle without his guidance and skill." He paused for a moment, seeming to choose his next words with care. "However, if he is to succumb to his injuries, I believe O'Neill's legacy will live on through the many lives he has touched. I am honored to have served at his side."

Sam felt a lump rise in her throat. Although Teal'c's words were eloquent, they clawed at her heart like jagged nails. She closed her eyes and sniffed; unable to hold her tears back any longer.

"I have upset you. I am sorry."

She shook her head. "No. No, it's okay, Teal'c. It's just…I'm…"

"You still feel guilt for O'Neill's injuries."

"I do. I had hoped seeing him would help, that maybe things weren't as bad as I'd thought they were. But they are." She sniffed and wiped her eyes. "I think they may even be worse."

"You have no reason to feel such shame, Major Carter. Accidents…"

"Happen, I know," she interrupted sharply. "But think about it, Teal'c: if you had been the one to pick up that stone and hurt your teammates – your friends – wouldn't you feel guilty for it?"

"I would," the Jaffa admitted. "However, my guilt would be warranted."

Sam gave him an incredulous look. "And mine's not?"

"Had I picked up the ma'krell stone, I would have done so with the knowledge of the power it possessed. I would have made a conscious decision to risk my own safety, and the safety of my friends," he explained. "Your decision to pick up the stone was borne of curiosity. You had no previous knowledge of what it was, or the damage it was capable of doing. You are not to blame."

She wanted to believe him, she really did, but her willful side just refused to be convinced. "God, I hope he gets better. Even if he wants to yell at me for being careless – I don't care. I just want him to be all right."

"As do we all," Teal'c agreed.

The door opened behind them to admit Janet. "Hey, guys," she greeted, joining the solemn pair at Jack's bedside. "How's it going?"

"Could be better," Sam replied, drying her eyes on her sleeve.

"Has there been any improvement in O'Neill's condition, Doctor Fraiser?" Teal'c asked.

"Well, he seems to have stabilized," Janet said, consulting the man's chart for any new notes since her last visit. "We were chasing his blood pressure for a good part of the night, but it looks like the extra transfusion we gave him resolved the issue. There hasn't been any significant fluctuations in his numbers for over 12 hours now."

Sam allowed her hopes to raise half a notch. "That's good."

The doctor nodded. "He's also showing no signs of infection and we're seeing less drainage from the chest tube."

"When will he be permitted to awaken?"

"I wish I had an exact answer for you, Teal'c, but I don't. If he continues to improve, if he tolerates the next surgery, if he can maintain his oxygen level without the assistance of the respirator, if he remains infection free, if…" She began to see the worry on her friend's faces deepen. "There are a lot of variables involved, but it ultimately comes down to the comfort and safety of the patient."

The large man frowned. "I see."

"Can we stay with him now?" Sam asked.

"No, not while he's in the CCU. Maybe once we're able to move him into the general ward, but we'll have to see. Rest is going to play a large role in his recovery."

The door opened and a nurse carrying a covered tray stepped into the room.

"If rest is what O'Neill needs, then we should permit him to do so," Teal'c said, sensing it was time for them to leave. "May we return later?"

"Sure. I don't see why not," the doctor replied. "We're about to change his bandages and check a few other things, but if you'd like to come back later this afternoon for a visit, you can."

"I guess I can keep busy until then," Sam said.

"That's something I wanted to talk to you about, actually," Janet said. She turned to the nurse. "Go ahead and get started, lieutenant. I'll be right back."

The young nurse nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Janet herded her two friends out of Jack's room and into the relative privacy of the hall. "Teal'c, you're free to leave the infirmary. Your symbiote did a good job healing your wounds overnight. Just do me a favor and take it easy for a couple of days. You did a lot of hard, physical work yesterday and you need to take some time to recover from that."

"I will do as you wish, Doctor Fraiser," he replied.

"What about me?" Sam asked.

"I'd like you to stay in the infirmary a little longer."

Sam's eyes widened. "What? Why?"

Janet looked expectantly up at Teal'c. Perceptive as always, the large man understood her message without words.

"I will go inform Daniel Jackson that he must postpone his visit with O'Neill," he said, and respectfully took his leave.

"I think you need a little more time under supervision," Janet said once they were alone.

"But, Janet…"

"No buts, Sam. You're exhausted. Between my own observations and those of my staff, you've gotten less than six hours sleep since we've been home. And given what we've been through, that's not enough."

"I'm not tired."

"I think you are. You've got dark circles under your eyes, your attention span is unusually short, you're emotional…"

"Of course I'm emotional!" Sam practically erupted. "I nearly killed my commanding officer. I think I have the right to be a little upset!"

"Yes, you do!" Janet replied, matching her friend's harried tone. Shouting wasn't something she normally allowed in the CCU, but she felt it was the only way to get Sam to listen. "But you can't let your guilt and anger get in the way of taking care of your own body's needs!"

"My body doesn't _need_ anything!" Sam argued. "I just want to go down to my lab and start working with the data we collected from the planet before everything hit the fan."

"Isolating yourself is the worst thing you can do right now, and you know it," Janet pushed back. "You need rest, a couple of decent meals, maybe someone to talk to…"

Sam shook her head and stubbornly crossed her arms the best she could with one of them in a sling.

"But the bottom line is, if you're not going to look after yourself like a responsible adult, then I will. I'll have you confined to the infirmary until I'm certain you're strong enough to be up and about. That would mean no work and no visits to the colonel. Is that what you want?"

Sam's first reaction was to say yes, it was exactly what she wanted. She was in such a foul mood she didn't care if it sounded childish. But then the thought of being bedridden and unable to visit Jack started to sink in. _What if he gets worse? What if he dies? What if I don't get to say goodbye or that I'm sorry or that… _Hurting someone you cared for was bad enough; selfishly abandoning them when they needed you most was inexcusable.

Hot tears began to slide down her face and onto the floor. She sniffed and turned toward the wall.

"Sam?" Janet put her hand on her friend's arm. She tried to move away, but Janet wouldn't let her. After a moment, Sam allowed herself to be pulled into a hug. "It's okay, Sam, let it out," she urged as the other woman began to cry in earnest.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound so…I just…" Violent sobs shook Sam's body as she allowed the last 24 hours of pent up emotions to come flooding out. Hysterics wasn't something she usually did, but between her guilt, exhaustion, and pain, she had been pushed to her breaking point. Clinging to Janet like a lifeline, she cried out of fear, frustration, and sadness.

"Shh, it's all right," Janet soothed, holding her friend close. She knew a good cry was exactly what the other woman needed and was more than willing to lend her a shoulder for support.

Sam cried for nearly ten minutes, her sobs slowly reducing to sniffles. When she finally released Janet from her grasp, her eyes were swollen and her cheeks red. "I'm sorry, Janet," she sniffed quietly.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," the doctor replied, handing her a tissue from her pocket. "We all need a good cry every once and a while."

"I think you might be right about me being tired," Sam admitted. "I've just been too worried about the colonel to realize it myself."

"It's okay to be upset," Janet said. "And frankly I'd be worried if you weren't. You're a good person, Sam. You take pride and responsibly in your work and care for those you work with. I know you would do _anything_ to go back and make it so this never happened, but it's just not something we can feasibly do. You have to accept that this was an accident – a fluke even. And it's going to be difficult, but it's something you _have_ to do. It'll eat you alive if you don't."

"I'm trying, I really am, but all I can think of is how much pain the colonel was in. Every time I close my eyes I can see him on the ground, bleeding and broken. I can hear his screams and the horrible sounds of him trying to breathe…" Sam's eyes welled up with tears again. "And then knowing if I'd never found that stone, or if I'd just left it on the ground, none of this would have ever happened."

"I know it seems impossible right now," Janet said, offering her another tissue. "But you will get through this, regardless of how things turn out. It's going to take time and effort, but you will find a way to forgive yourself and move on."

Sam shook her head despondently. To expect forgiveness from anyone, let alone herself, seemed unreasonable. She'd hurt one of her own, and now she had to face the consequences no matter what they may be.

Janet could see her friend's mental wheels turning. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I think so."

"You don't have to suffer through this alone. You can always talk to me or Daniel or Teal'c. And you know General Hammond's door is always open. We're in this together, Sam, and we'll get through this together too."

"I know," the other woman sniffed. "I know."

"Do you want me to prescribe something so you can get some sleep?"

"No – I think I'll be all right."

"If you change your mind, just talk to one of the nurses. I'll let them know what's going on," Janet said, patting her on the arm. "I'll come check on you when I'm done with the colonel, okay?"

Sam nodded. "Can I come back later to see him?"

"Sure. How about when the guys come down this afternoon? Does that sound good?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"Now go get some rest," Janet said, playfully shooing her friend away. "You look absolutely exhausted."

With a small smile that never quite reached her eyes, Sam turned and slowly headed down the corridor toward the infirmary.

Janet watched her go, waiting until she disappeared from sight before allowing her own emotional wall to crumble. It was almost as hard to see her friends upset as it was to see them sick or injured. At least in the latter cases, she generally knew what to do to make things better again.

Wiping the moisture from beneath her eyes, she hastily reeled all of her personal emotions back into place. It was time for her to switch roles, shifting from the confidant to the impartial, compassionate doctor that her patients knew and trusted. With a final glance in the direction Sam had gone, Janet returned to the private room to tend to Jack's injuries.


	8. Chapter 8

Five days after a freak accident nearly took his life, Jack was strong enough to undergohis second surgery. All things considered, the procedure went well. Dr. Warner was able to set the break in his arm with little difficulty, and some basic manipulation brought the misshapen tendons in his shoulder back into alignment. A plaster cast was applied from neck to elbow to immobilize and support the healing breaks in his arm and collarbone. The decision to remove his chest tube was also made, and the incision was sealed with a heavy dressing.

Janet watched Jack as he slept. She was pleased with his overall progress, especially considering how close to death he'd been on their first day back. He was still on the respirator, and she suspected he'd remain that way for several more days. Between his badly bruised lung and broken ribs, breathing effectively on his own would be exhausting in his weakened state.

She brushed the hair off his forehead and rested the back of her hand against his cheek. He was cold, and she ordered an extra blanket from the nurse that was in the room. "Don't need you catching a chill now, sir," Janet said to the unconscious man. Infection was still one of the biggest risks Jack faced and she was taking every precaution she could to prevent one from developing.

The nurse returned a moment later with a warmed blanket in her arms. They quickly spread it over the bed and tucked in the corners. "There. That should help a little."

Janet glanced up at the clock hanging on the wall. It was pushing 1100 hours, and she was due to make an appearance at SG-1's debriefing with Hammond. She'd had her own debriefing with the general yesterday, as she was scheduled to be in surgery with the colonel when the official one was slated to start. Now she had just enough time to change out of her scrubs and grab a cup of coffee before the others would be expecting her.

"I have a meeting at 1100 that I need to start getting ready for," Janet said to the attending nurse. "The colonel looks good right now. Just keep an eye on his numbers and don't hesitate to page me if something changes. He had his chest tube removed this morning, and that can open the door to complications."

"Will do, ma'am," the nurse replied and settled into the bedside chair to begin her watch.

Janet left the CCU and headed for the infirmary's locker room to change. After trading in her scrubs for something more formal, she swung by her office to collect her notes and some coffee before heading over to the briefing room. When she arrived, the meeting was in full swing. The large central table was littered with photos, documents, and artifacts they'd collected off world. Daniel was speaking, the passion he had for his work clear in his voice.

"And this is the first tattoo Teal'c found on one of the bodies along the trail," Daniel said, passing a small plastic box across the table to the general. "It belonged to the First Prime of Menoetius."

The large man seated at the head of the table studied the golden object inside the box for a moment. He was about to hand it back when movement by the stairwell caught his eye. "Doctor, join us, please."

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Janet asked as she walked over to the table and took a seat beside Sam. She noticed Jack's usual chair was left empty in a small gesture of respect from the others.

"Not at all. Dr. Jackson was just sharing his speculations about what happened on P4J-592," Hammond replied.

"Is everything all right?" Daniel asked, more than willing to postpone his spiel if something was wrong.

Janet shook her head. "Everything's fine. Go ahead and finish."

"O-okay." Daniel dropped his eyes to his notes, having lost his place when Janet entered the room. "Umm…"

"I believe you were about to tell General Hammond about Menoetius," Teal'c reminded his friend.

"Right. Umm…thanks." He shuffled through his papers some more before finally finding what he needed. "Menoetius was one of lesser Titans in Greek legend. He most commonly represented impulse, mortality, and rage, which as you can probably surmise, led to his eventual downfall. Now according to Teal'c, Menoetius served as an under-lord to Cronus for…"

Janet sat back in her chair and tried to listen. Normally staying focused wasn't a problem for her, but today she just wasn't in the mood for a mythology lesson. Her thoughts went to the care Jack would need once he woke up. _If he wakes up…if…_ she chided herself. She'd been in the business long enough to know that things often changed suddenly for patients in critical care. Even still, it was easy to take the man's recovery for granted.

She glanced over at Sam. The other woman looked tired, but not as bone weary as she had two days earlier. Janet had released her from the infirmary yesterday morning and she'd hardly seen her since. Judging from the substantial pile of paperwork on the table in front of her, it looked like Sam had sequestered herself in her lab and worked through most of the night. Immersing herself in work was how she chose to deal with stress.

_But your troubles are still there waiting for you when the work is done, my dear…_ Janet thought. She wondered if she should have kept her in the infirmary another day. Sam would have protested at first, but she ultimately would have accepted her fate without much of a fuss. _Unlike somebody else I know…_

As active at home as he was at work, Jack O'Neill was one of the most difficult soldiers she'd ever treated. Unless physically incapable of getting out of bed, the man would be a constant thorn in her side until released from her care. Nothing short of a direct order would keep him down once he set his sights on getting up. He would become bored and cranky, and make every effort to ensure those around him were equally as miserable as he was. Janet knew it wasn't entirely his fault. He had a deep-rooted need to be active and independent. Restraining those needs left him feeling frustrated and helpless.

_What I would give to have another battle of wills with that man…_ she thought with a small smile. _I promise you, Jack. If you make it through this, I'll…_

"Doctor?"

Janet's thoughts were abruptly broken when she heard Hammond's voice. She looked up to find everyone watching her expectantly. A warm flush of embarrassment spread across her face. "I'm sorry, General. I wasn't paying attention."

Hammond smiled. "That's all right, Doctor. I understand you have a lot on your plate at the moment. I asked if you had progress report on Colonel O'Neill."

"I do, actually," she said, quickly regaining her composure. "The colonel is doing quite well considering how things were looking four days ago. His condition has been consistently stable now for the past 48 hours, and he continues to improve. As you are all aware, he underwent surgery this morning to repair his broken right humerus and to address several issues in his shoulder. The procedure went well, and with time and some extensive physiotherapy, he should regain complete mobility of his arm. We were also able to remove his chest tube, which significantly reduces his risk of developing an infection. Hopefully we can start to wean him off the respirator within the next few days, however it's not something we can rush."

"So he's going to make it?" Sam asked.

Janet sighed. It was time for the conversation to get prickly. "It would be easy for me just to say yes, but I'm not going to. The colonel is recovering, but his condition is still very delicate. A lot of things could go wrong, and I want you all to be prepared for that. His injuries were serious, and I feel justified in saying that his survival thus far has been nothing short of a miracle. The odds are still stacked against him, but each time he shows improvement, the scales tip a little more in his favor."

"O'Neill possesses a will of survival stronger than any warrior I have known," Teal'c said from across the table. "If anyone is to survive such injuries, I am confident it will be him."

"If the colonel does come through this, it's going to take everyone working together to get him back on his feet again," the doctor continued. "Pain control is going to be a large part of his recovery, as is rest. You all know he can become discouraged when his body doesn't heal as quickly as his mind. I'm going to need your help keeping his spirits up and encouraging him to make the best choices for himself."

"You can count me in," Daniel said without hesitation.

Sam nodded. "Me too."

"I wish to include myself as well," Teal'c declared.

Janet smiled. She knew she'd have no difficulties getting her friends onboard. She just hoped they would stick around once Jack began feeling well enough to push back.

"And I'll gladly do anything I can to help out too," Hammond generously offered.

"Thank you, sir."

Hammond nodded. "It's not easy to see someone we care about fighting for their life. It makes us wonder if we should just say our goodbyes and let them go, or keep encouraging them to endure their pain with the hopes that they may recover. I know how much Jack means to all of you. He's an important asset to this facility, this country, and this planet. I sincerely hope that he continues to improve and is someday able to walk away from this terrible accident."

He focused this last part directly at Sam. She quickly dodged his gaze and became very interested in a loose thread hanging off her sling. It was clearly going to take more than simple reassurance to convince her she wasn't at fault. _And the only person who has even a remote chance of doing that is currently on life support…_

The grim thought made the general sigh. "I realize you've all had a rough couple of days, and that the ones to come may not be much easier. Because of this, I've decided to put SG-1 on stand down. In a few weeks, if the opportunity presents itself, Dr. Jackson and Teal'c will be reassigned to other SG teams until Major Carter and hopefully Colonel O'Neill are cleared for active duty."

"Are you sending another team back to P4J-592 to get our gear?" Daniel asked.

"I am, however I'm waiting for a callback from the Joint Chiefs concerning the objectives of the mission. Based on the preliminary mineral survey Major Carter presented me with this morning, a more detailed analysis of the planet's Naquadah content may be in order," Hammond replied. He paused to see if there were any more questions. When none came, he gathered up his papers. It was time to bring the debriefing to a close.

"I know your thoughts are with the colonel right now, but please remember to look after yourselves too. Regardless of how things turn out, there's a long road of recovery ahead you. Just know that you're not alone. Your strengths as a team extend far beyond the confines of the battlefield. Help each other; it will make this difficult process much easier to bear. I know it seems impossible now, but we will get through this. Time may not heal old wounds completely, but it certainly helps dull the pain. I've been through it enough times in my career to know."

He stood and regarded each person at the table with genuine compassion. "My door's open if any of you ever need to talk. Dismissed."

* * *

><p>Daniel walked briskly down the hall with his hands jammed in his pockets and a boyish grin on his face. It was his first genuine smile in days and it felt good. With all the stress and sorrow that had come into their lives, it was nice to have some encouraging news for a change. Now all he needed to do was share it with his friends.<p>

He turned the corner that led to Sam's lab and was surprised to find the door closed tight. _That's strange…_ Daniel thought. _Sam hardly ever closes her door…_ He made a fist and knocked loudly. "Sam! Sam, are you in there?"

No one came to the door or answered his calls. He tried the door and found it locked. Daniel frowned. There was a chance she wasn't there, but he'd already eliminated all of her other usual haunts. He'd even checked to see if she'd left the base. No one had seen or heard from her all morning, including the general. He knocked again. "Sam! It's Daniel. If you're in there, open up! I've got something to tell you."

He started to turn away when his efforts were again met with silence, but then he heard movement behind the door. It swung open a moment later revealing a rather upset looking Sam.

"A closed door usually means someone wants to be left alone, Daniel."

"What's wrong?" he asked, seeing her swollen, red eyes and puffy cheeks.

"Nothing. Just…nothing." She turned away from the door and retreated back into her lab.

Daniel followed. "I've been looking all over for you. I just got back from visiting Jack and…"

"Not right now, please," she interrupted. She sat down at her cluttered workbench and cupped something small between her hands. "I can't…I just want to be alone, okay?"

"I don't think that's such a good idea right now," Daniel replied, seeking out a second stool and sitting down beside her. "Do you?"

"I don't know anymore," she sniffed, looking down at the object in her hands.

"Hey, isn't that the yo-yo Teal'c gave Jack for Christmas?" he asked, recognizing the brightly painted toy.

She nodded. "I found it in his backpack when I was consolidating our gear."

"I haven't seen it since he broke an old clay urn in my office trying to do some crazy trick." The archeologist grinned. "He tried to put it back together, but wound up gluing his fingers to the table instead. Teal'c learned a few new words that day…" He trailed off when he saw a large tear slide down his friend's cheek. "Sam?"

She shook her head and turned away, not wanting him to see her cry.

"You're still ragging on yourself about this, aren't you?" he asked.

"Wouldn't you?"

"Probably," Daniel replied in all honesty. "But I think I'd have to give in and listen to reason eventually."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" she demanded, her tone taking on an icy edge.

"It means that everyone thinks what happened out there was an accident except you. Accidents happen, Sam. Making mistakes is part of what makes us human."

"I know. I've been hearing that a lot lately."

"Then don't you think there _might_ be a little truth in it? I mean look at some of the stuff I've done. If I allowed myself to hang on to all of the guilt I've felt for putting you guys in jeopardy, I don't think I could ever leave my apartment," Daniel said with a small smile. "And I wish I could tell you there was an easy way to get past those bad feelings, but there isn't. It's different for everyone. I write in my journals, Teal'c meditates, and Jack…well…that's one of the things I haven't figured out about him yet. Maybe you should ask him sometime."

Met with silence, he continued on.

"We all feel bad when a decision we've made hurts the people we care for or puts them in danger. We think the situation through in our minds over and over, trying to figure out what went wrong and what we could have done differently to prevent it. It's a never-ending cycle of 'what ifs' and 'if onlys,' and the longer you let it weigh you down, the harder it is to pull yourself out of it."

Daniel looked at Sam's back and sighed. It was hard to tell if his words were even getting through to her. It made him sad to see her this way, and he wanted nothing more than to help. He got up and walked around the table. Sam's eyes were closed; tears rolling slowly down her reddened face. Daniel knelt before her and gathered her hands into his own. "What I've been trying to say is that you're not alone. We know how you feel. We've been there, done that, and in our line of work, we'll probably wind up doing it again someday. But the important thing is, we've gotten through it. You have to believe me when I say things will get better."

"I just don't see how."

"Sam, look at me." When she refused, Daniel reached up and took her gently by the chin. At last she complied, her blue eyes shining with tears. He couldn't believe the amount of sadness he saw in them, or the amount of fear. "You need to stop blaming yourself for this. It was an accident. And if you can't see it for yourself, then just listen to what your friends are telling you. We know you, Sam. We know if you had even _suspected_ that rock you picked up was dangerous, you would have never gone near it."

"I wouldn't have," she insisted. "I just thought it was a stone. I didn't know it was going to react with the Naquadah in my blood. I didn't know…" Sam felt something inside of her change just then; a slight loosening of the band that had been wrapped around her heart since she'd first learned what happened to Jack. Her guilt didn't go away completely, but it suddenly became a little easier to bear.

"Sam?" Daniel asked, having detected a change in her demeanor.

"It…it was an accident."

The man's eyebrows rose at her admission. "Yes, it was."

"I still feel bad for what happened. I mean I can accept that I hurt myself, but I still feel bad for hurting Janet and the colonel."

"And that's fine," Daniel assured her, relieved that she was finally starting to come to terms with what happened. "Feeling remorse is something else that makes us human. It also means you have a conscience."

"But if the colonel dies, I…"

"Sam." Daniel abruptly stood and took her by the shoulders, wanting to shut off her train of thought before she slipped backwards again. "Can I please tell you the news I have about Jack?"

"If it's about how bad he looks…"

"It's not. I promise."

"Then what?"

"When I went to visit Jack this morning, Janet was in the middle of evaluating his ability to breathe on his own. He needed a little help at first, but once his body took over, she said he did surprisingly well. He did so well in fact, she's thinking about letting him wake up earlier than anticipated."

"Really? Janet said that?"

Daniel nodded. "She said Jack's still got quite a ways to go before he's completely healed, but he's definitely making progress." He beamed. "Isn't it great?"

_Could it be true? _Sam thought. _Could the colonel really be doing better?_ He certainly hadn't looked better when she'd visited him the night before. Even the high praise and reassurance from the nurse stationed with him hadn't been enough to convince her. But now, after hearing the news from Daniel and seeing the excitement on his face, she started to feel her diminished sense of hope start to grow.

"It's terrific," she said with a tentative smile.

"I thought you might say that."

"It's hard to believe he's doing so well. I mean just a week ago, we thought he was…" A sudden, urgent need to see him for herself had Sam launching to her feet.

"Sam?"

"I need…I mean I want…" she stammered nervously. Sam stopped and forced herself to take a deep breath. "I'm going to visit the colonel. I haven't had a chance to see him yet this morning. Do you want to come?"

"Actually, you might want to give it awhile. Janet was just about to start changing Jack's bandages when I left. She won't let anyone in while she's doing that." Daniel saw the disappointment on his friend's face. "But you can come with me and help share the good news with Teal'c if you'd like."

"No. I'd better not. I really should try to get a few things done around here," she said, gesturing at her cluttered workbench.

"Okay. Maybe I'll see you at lunch then? I hear they're making pizza today – and not the frozen cardboard kind, either."

Although the thought of food made her anxious stomach clench, Sam nodded just the same. "Yeah. That sounds good."

"Great. I guess I'll see you then, then." He turned and left the room, eager to share the news about Jack with Teal'c. He'd barely gotten a dozen steps down the hall when he heard Sam calling for him to wait. "What's…whoa!" Daniel exclaimed as he was unexpectedly engulfed in a fierce hug.

Sam gripped her friend tightly; ignoring the pain it caused her broken wrist. When she finally released him, his glasses were sideways and his face was flushed with embarrassment.

"What was _that_ for?" Daniel asked, fumbling to fix his glasses.

"It's a thank you," she replied, her smile reaching her eyes. "For being there and having the right words to make me listen. And also for showing me that it's okay to be human."

"You're welcome. Just remember that we're going to get through this and that you're never alone." He squeezed her arm. "It's good to see you smiling again, Sam."

Now it was her turn to blush. She watched as Daniel turned and headed for the elevator. When he disappeared from sight, she returned to her lab seeking something that would keep her mind busy until she could visit her ailing CO.

* * *

><p>General Hammond gazed sympathetically down at his unconscious second. Throughout his career, he had seen the effects of battle on the minds and bodies of countless soldiers. The lucky ones recovered and went on to fight another day. But some of them, far too many he felt, never got a second chance. They became disabled, had their spirits broken, or perished on the frontlines. It was one of the unspoken risks of serving in the military, and it followed you around like a dark shadow wherever you went.<p>

Jack hadn't sustained his injuries during battle, but he was most certainly waging war now. He was usually so full of life and energy; it was upsetting to see him so lifeless and still. "You're just a mess, aren't you, son?" Hammond asked quietly.

The bandages around Jack's forehead had been removed, exposing a neat row of stitches just below his hairline. The right side of his face was mottled with blotches of dusky color; the deep bruises slowly starting to fade. He looked tired and worn, his unnaturally pale skin and stubble covered jaw aging him by at least ten years.

Hammond looked down at the cast covering most Jack's right arm and shoulder. There were numerous doodles and words of encouragement scrawled across the top, confirming just how many friends the colonel had around the base. A near perfect sketch of Homer Simpson made him chuckle, as did the cluster of bright red hearts done up to look like a tattoo.

The general picked up a black marker from the bedside table and tried to think of what to write. He wanted to leave something smart, something Jack would appreciate, but the grim situation made such creative thought difficult. He finally settled on a message that was closer to his heart: 'The base isn't the same without you, Jack.'

"And that's the truth," he said, signing his name.

The door opened quietly behind him.

"General?"

He turned to find Sam standing in the doorway. "Major, come join me."

"If I'm interrupting something, I can come back later…"

"You're not. I just stopped by to see how Jack was doing and the nurse stationed with him looked to be in need of a break. I offered to sit with him for a while and she accepted."

"That was nice of you, sir."

"I don't mind. Besides, this is the least amount of trouble Jack has given me in a long time," he said, earning a small smile from Sam.

"How's he doing?" She timidly approached Jack's bed, almost afraid of what she'd find.

"He appears to be holding his own," Hammond replied. "Dr. Fraiser's latest report said he's doing quite well for someone with his type of injuries. If he continues to do good throughout the night, she hopes to wake him up sometime tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Daniel said she was thinking of waking him up earlier than anticipated, but…so soon?"

"The plan is tentative and may still change. She plans to evaluate him in the morning and make the decision then." The general sat down in the chair beside the bed. "So, how are you holding up, Major? Is your hand feeling better?"

"A little. The burn isn't healing as fast as Janet would like it to, but I guess the colonel is having the same problem," Sam said. "She thinks it had something to do with our close proximity to the energy blast. It may have damaged the tissues more than she originally thought. She's certain it will heal, it's just going to take time."

"Are you feeling any better about what happened?"

She shrugged. "I had a long talk with Daniel about it. He was able to help me see that it was an accident."

Hammond looked pleased. "That's good."

"But I still feel guilty." She looked at the bank of medical equipment and then to Jack's face. "He wouldn't be like this if I hadn't mistaken a Goa'uld weapon for a harmless stone."

"Responsibility has its pitfalls, Sam," Hammond said frankly. "I'm reminded of that every time a team comes back through the gate injured. Even worse is when they don't come home at all."

"That's not your fault, sir. You don't have any control over what we face off world."

"No, but I'm the one who issues the orders that send you into those potentially dangerous situations. And I'm also the one that decides whether or not to send in backup. Learning that a decision you've made has had severe consequences never gets any easier. It doesn't matter if you were fed bad intel or forced into it by someone with more bureaucratic power than you. You still feel the pain and guilt, and you wonder if there was something you could have done differently to change what happened.

"The guilt doesn't go away overnight, and sometimes it never does at all. You just learn to cope with it and to accept it as one of the unpleasant parts of life. They say rank doth has its privileges, but it has its burdens too."

Hammond stood and joined her at Jack's side. "You feel guilty because you've taken responsibility for your actions even though they were unintentional."

"And guilt is one of the pitfalls of responsibility?" she asked.

"In some cases it is," the general replied. "But by admitting your mistake, facing your guilt, and seeking to redeem yourself shows that you have good character. And that's just the type of officer I want to have serving on my base.

"This was an accident, Sam. I put into my official report as such. Now you have to see it that way too. You may have accepted it up here." He pointed to his head. "But the guilt won't go away until you can accept it in here." He placed a hand over his heart.

Sam looked up at him, reassured and a little surprised by his words. She merely nodded, not trusting her voice to remain steady if she were to speak.

Hammond smiled to himself. He could see the preverbal wheels turning in her head. Hopefully his words had gotten through.

"Why don't I give you some time alone with the colonel," he offered.

"I thought you were watching him?"

"I was, but he'll be in even better hands with you around, Major."

"Thank you, sir," Sam uttered quietly.

He nodded and patted her on the back. _Maybe, just maybe, we're starting to get through to her…_ the general thought as he made his way out of the room.

And for that, he could only hope.

* * *

><p>Anticipation weighed heavily in the air the next morning when Janet said would be allowing Jack to wake up. The members of SG-1 had taken over the small observation deck and were anxiously waiting for the moment their leader would open his eyes. Daniel slowly paced the floor, the book on Greek Titans he'd brought to read lying unopened on the counter. Teal'c meditated quietly in the corner, a single candle flickering in a glass jar by his knee. Sam perched rigidly on the edge of her chair, her eyes flicking anxiously between the monitors and the window looking down into Jack's room below.<p>

They had been there for several hours watching and waiting. When they'd arrived around 0800, Janet was in the middle of removing the tube from Jack's throat. It was a tense couple of minutes as they waited to see if he could handle breathing on his own; a collective sigh of relief going through the room when she announced he was doing fine. Now aided only by an oxygen mask, Jack was slowly starting to look more like himself again.

Down in the treatment room, Janet was keeping a close eye on her patient. She had eased off on the drugs keeping him asleep shortly after disconnecting the respirator, and expected him to be coming around at any time.

"Come on, colonel," she urged, giving his hand a squeeze. She frowned when there was no response.

"Is everything all right?" Daniel's concerned voice sounded tinny through the room's small speakers.

"Everything's fine," Janet assured him. "He's just taking his time." She watched as he and Sam conversed, unable to hear what they were saying with the microphone off. Whatever was said made Daniel frown and start up his pacing again.

Janet signed and turned back to the colonel. She knew this part would be difficult for her friends, but excluding them wasn't an option. It was crucial for them to be there, both for their own peace of mind and for Jack's. She knew from experience that his immediate concern would not be for himself, but for his team. Having them there would ease his mind and keep him from becoming overly stressed.

The door opened and Captain Tomas stepped into the room. "Here are the test results you wanted, doctor." She handed her a green folder and looked down at the man in the bed. "Nothing yet?"

"Not even a twitch," Janet said, lowering her voice to keep the rest of SG-1 from hearing her. "And frankly, I'm starting to get a little concerned."

"I wouldn't worry too much about it yet. You have to remember who we're dealing with here," the seasoned nurse replied. She had worked with Jack before and knew all too well about his stubborn streak. "You can't rush the colonel anymore than you can make him follow your orders."

"Ain't that the truth," the doctor wholeheartedly agreed. As the other woman left to take care of something at the back of the room, Janet flipped open the folder and carefully read the information inside.

_Everything looks all right…_ She thought, finding Jack's latest test results to be within acceptable limits. _His white blood cell count is elevated, but that should clear up once his burn starts to heal adequately. And it certainly wouldn't be keeping him from regaining consciousness. Maybe he was concussed worse than I thought…but his MRI and EEG results indicated only minor signs of trauma. He hasn't shown any signs of swelling. If he had, we would have picked up on it right…_

A sharp intake of air was the first indication that Jack was finally starting to come to. Abandoning her reading, Janet went to his side and took his hand. "Colonel O'Neill? Can you hear me?" He didn't respond at first, but her continued efforts were rewarded when he turned his head toward her voice and weakly closed his fingers around hers. "That's it, sir. Come on. Wake up a little more for me."

Jack's eyes fluttered open, his gaze unfocused in the bright lights. He could just make out the vague shape of a person in front of him, but he couldn't see the details of their face. They were speaking to him, their words muffled and indistinguishable against the buzzing sound inside his head. He felt as though he'd been asleep for fifty years and now his body was reeling to catch up.

A cool hand brushed gently across his forehead. It felt good, and helped to sharpen his senses some. Details of his surroundings slowly came into focus, as did the face of the person at his side. Janet. He tried to speak her name, but the word caught against his dry, aching throat. He began to cough, awakening a horrific barrage of pain across his neck, shoulders, and chest.

"Easy, sir," Janet said, cringing as the deep coughs shook his body. When it became clear the spell wasn't going to stop on its own, she called Tomas over to help. "Let's sit him up a bit. It'll take some of the pressure off his chest." Using the bed's controls, they slowly elevated his upper body, tucking extra pillows around him for support. When she was satisfied with his position, Janet used her hand to brace up his broken ribs. "You're okay, colonel. Try to slow down your breathing."

His eyes watering from the pain, Jack gritted his teeth and tried to bring the excruciating coughing under control. His efforts proved futile, as his mouth filled with the coppery taste of blood and his vision began to gray as consciousness threatened to leave him.

Janet saw the fine spray of red inside the oxygen mask and cursed. She suspected the blood was old, but this wasn't what he needed only minutes after waking up. Although he had significantly improved over the last week, his condition was still considered delicate. Dealing with such stress so soon could trigger a crash she might not be able to control. She looked up to Tomas. "Trade places with me. I want to get something to calm him down and help with the pain."

Tomas stepped in to support Jack's ribs, allowing Janet to get what she needed from the drug cabinet. Uttering quiet words of encouragement, the nurse couldn't help feeling sorry for the man. The sensation of his broken bones shifting beneath her hand was disturbing; she could only imagine how it felt to him.

The doctor returned a moment later with a loaded syringe and injected it into his IV. "Easy, sir. You're all right."

As she waited for the medication to work, the Janet stole a glance up at the others. They were all standing at the window, their faces a mixture of worry and fear. _Sorry you have to see this, guys…_ she apologized silently.

Her attention was drawn back to the colonel when the sound of his breathing began to change. She pulled on her stethoscope and slipped it beneath the blankets. The drugs were starting to kick in, calming his panic and easing his pain.

"That's right, sir, breathe as deep as you can," Janet instructed, his harsh gasps slowly evening out. Removing the dirty oxygen mask, she took the damp cloth Tomas held out and passed it over Jack's face. Willful to the end, he scowled and tried to move away as she cleaned the blood and sweat from his skin. The doctor smiled. She was glad to see he still had some fight left in him despite what he'd been through.

"Well, that wasn't totally unexpected," Tomas remarked as she slid a new mask into place.

Janet nodded in agreement. "No. I'm just glad it wasn't any worse than what it was." The risk for complications had been high. The last thing she'd wanted was for SG-1 to see their leader go into full respiratory arrest and wind up back on the ventilator. She sighed and pushed the negative thoughts from her mind. Now wasn't the time to be thinking backwards.

"Colonel? You still with me?" she asked, gauging his level of awareness. The man nodded, but didn't open his eyes. Between sheer exhaustion and the amount of medication flowing through his veins, she knew he wouldn't be awake for much longer. "I know you're tired, sir, but I wanted to tell you a little bit about what's going on. You were injured about a week ago in an accident off world. I'll save the specifics for later, but you sustained a very serious chest injury. You've undergone several…"

_An accident? _Jack's hazy mind tried to keep up with Janet's explanation, but it kept coming back to this one distressing idea. He had no memory of the incident, or the events leading up to it. His next thought was of his team. If he had been injured, than what about them? Swallowing past the dryness in his throat, he tried to get his aching vocal cords to cooperate.

Janet stopped when she realized Jack was trying to speak. She didn't want him wasting the little strength he had on talking, but she knew he wouldn't hear her reasoning until he'd said what he needed to say. Placing her ear close to his mouth, she could just make out a single word through the mask.

"Kids?"

"You're team is fine, sir. They've been pretty worried about you, though. Would you like to see them?" Jack nodded and she motioned his three anxious teammates down from the observation deck. The private room wasn't meant to hold quite so many people, but the discomfort of cramped quarters was hardly noticed as the group gathered around their commanding officer's bed.

Daniel was the first to speak. "Hey, Jack."

Hearing a familiar voice, Jack opened his eyes. His gaze was still unfocused, but he managed to locate the blurry shapes of his friends just the same. He offered them a tired smile and wiggled his fingers in a wave.

"It is good to see you, O'Neill." Teal'c bowed his head in formal greeting. "Your injuries have caused us much concern."

"Hi, colonel," Sam said, peering almost shyly between the two men.

"They were here everyday, sir," Janet told him. "You've got quite the cheering squad with these three around."

Jack's eyelids drooped. As much as he wanted to enjoy his team's company, he couldn't resist the intense pull of sleep any longer. His eyes closed, and he immediately began to drift.

Sam felt a pang of worry when she saw him drop off so suddenly. "Is he all right?"

"He's fine," Janet assured her. "He'll be groggy like this for a few days until we determine the best method for controlling his pain."

"What of the blood O'Neill expelled while coughing?" Teal'c inquired.

"The small amount of blood you saw was residual - leftover over from the initial trauma. I know it's disturbing to see, but it's good that he's bringing it up. Now that he's conscious and somewhat coherent, he can begin working with a respiratory specialist to clear his lungs and keep them that way throughout his recovery."

"When can we stay with him?" Daniel asked.

"Give him a couple of days," Janet replied, noting the disappointment on their faces. "He's still very weak and tired. His body needs all the rest it can get if he's to recover properly. My hope is to be able to move him out of critical care and into a private room off the main ward before the end of the week. You can stay with him longer once he's settled in there."

Teal'c gazed thoughtfully at his sleeping friend. "If rest is what O'Neill requires to recover, than we must permit him to do so undisturbed."

"You're all welcome to come back later. He might be a little more awake by then too."

Daniel came forward and took Jack's hand. "Teal'c says we need to go, Jack. We'll come back, though; we're going to help you get through this. Whatever it takes. Just know that you're not alone." He smiled when he felt Jack's fingers momentarily close over his thumb. "Welcome back, Jack. We missed you." He gave his friend's hand a final squeeze and turned to others. It was time to leave their leader to rest.

"Thank you for allowing us to be with O'Neill, Doctor Fraiser."

"You're welcome, Teal'c. I know it was a big relief for him to see all of you. He made it past an important hurdle today. I'm glad you were all able to be here to help him along." Janet saw a collective smile ripple through the group. Just the brief moment they'd seen Jack awake was enough to lift their spirits and confirm he was on the mend.

With their heads noticeably higher than when they'd first arrived, the team took their leave, confident that Jack would soon be leading SG-1 through the Stargate and across the galaxy once again.


	9. Chapter 9

Time passed in a haze for Jack. Between the medication and his body's seemingly insatiable need for sleep, he was seldom awake for very long. Whenever he did manage to open his eyes, there was almost always somebody at his bedside, ready and waiting to help him should he require assistance. He found it reassuring to know someone was always nearby, especially when a coughing fit left him breathless and in a fair amount of pain.

His team visited as much as the medical staff would allow, their presence keeping him grounded whenever his foggy mind tried to drift into dark places. He hadn't felt much like talking during the first couple of days; his throat was still sore and saying more than a few words made him cough. He'd been willing to listen, however, and Daniel provided him with enough chatter to make up for his own silence.

Once a day Lieutenant Morgan – a respiratory specialist on loan from the Academy Hospital – came to work with him, guiding him through a series of breathing exercises to help eliminate the build up of congealed fluid in his lungs. Despite the extra medication he was given, the process was painful and exhausting, especially when he was told to cough. Jack had resisted at first, but the young lieutenant was insistent. Even facing desperate threats like demotion and latrine duty, Morgan held his ground, and eventually got the colonel's cooperation. Little by little the trapped material in his lungs began to loosen and come up, easing some of the tightness he felt in his chest.

The one silver lining to Jack's misery came when Janet deemed him stable enough to be moved out of the CCU and into a room off the main infirmary. The move itself had been stressful, but the privacy he gained and the increased time with his team made it worth the temporary discomfort. There was even talk of a television set – with cable, of course – being brought in once he was able to sit up for extended periods of time.

Jack's memories from his first few days awake were a blur. Stray thoughts and bits of information from the conversations he'd had seemed to pop into his head at random, usually when he was first waking or just nodding off. Most of it was trivial: Janet's small talk and updates, Teal'c's daily readings from the local newspaper, Daniel's unpredictable tangents, Hammond's encouragement, and Sam's…

_Carter…_

The thought of her sent a red flag up in Jack's mind. At first, he couldn't figure out why. She'd been visiting him just like the others, although she didn't seem to come by as often. When she did make an appearance, she was quiet and withdrawn, two words he didn't normally associate with the excitable major. The thing that bothered him the most was that she never came alone, always tagging along with Teal'c, Daniel, or Janet.

Jack felt a twinge of pain flare across his chest. Its presence only meant one thing – his medication was wearing off. If he was lucky, he'd have a few minutes of groggy awareness before someone appeared to drug him out again. It was best to make use of it. Searching through his scattered memories, Jack looked for clues that might help explain Sam's uncharacteristic behavior. He knew she was recovering from her own injuries, but he doubted they were the cause of her avoidance.

_Did I say something wrong? Did I let my boredom with the mission get the better of me? It certainly wouldn't have been the first time, but then Carter isn't easily offended by my big mouth or otherwise. Something must have happened before the accident to upset her. It's not as if she caused it or any…_

He recalled a conversation he'd had with Daniel a few days before. The other man had come by to visit, chattering for over an hour about SG-1's last mission and ultimately the details surrounding the accident. Jack couldn't remember everything that was said at the time, but several of Daniel's comments suddenly brought things into context.

'…_When Sam picked up the stone, it reacted with the Naquadah in her blood….'_

'_A powerful surge of energy shot out and knocked everyone off their feet. Janet and Sam were thrown out of the clearing, but you weren't so lucky…'_

'_She feels guilty, Jack. She's blaming herself for your injuries. We've been trying to convince her that this was all an accident, but she's still riding herself pretty hard…'_

Guilt. It was an emotion Jack was intimately familiar with both his personal and profession lives. It could influence a person to do right, or slowly devour them from the inside out. Guilt wasn't like fear or anger; you couldn't avoid it or weaken its grip with an invigorating game of hockey. You had to call guilt out and meet it head-on; anything less was an invitation for it to follow you around like an oppressive cloud.

He knew first hand that guilt was one emotion that never truly went away. The people you hurt may be able to forgive and move on, but it was another thing entirely to forgive yourself. Sometimes it just wasn't possible. In those instances, you learned to box it up and bury it so deep you forget where you put it. The tactic usually worked too; except for the rare occasion when your own subconscious goes rogue and brings back the guilt in all its glory.

Jack heaved a mental sigh. He didn't want Sam to feel guilty for what happened off world. Even with his limited understanding of what occurred, he knew she wasn't at fault. But if the others hadn't been successful convincing her it was an accident, he doubted he'd have much luck himself – especially if he never got the opportunity to speak with her alone.

The twinge in his chest had progressed into a burning tickle. Recognizing it as an impending cough, he grimaced, and tried to ignore the tingling sensation. He'd thought coughing on command for Janet's underling was bad until he experienced a full blown jag of his body's own creation. The fit had left him alternating curses with gasps for air, and the protest from his broken ribs had nearly reduced him to tears. Thankfully they didn't happen very often; Jack didn't think he'd be able to make it if they did.

The discomfort in his chest grew worse. Fighting it was no longer an option. His body had made a decision without consulting him first, and there was nothing he could do to change its mind.

"Crap…" _This is so gonna hurt…_

Jack didn't realize he'd spoken aloud until he heard a chair slide back across the floor. Expecting to see one of Janet's nurses when he opened his eyes, he was quite surprised to find Sam's concerned face gazing down at him.

"Colonel, are you okay?"

His first instinct was to tell her he was fine, but as he drew in a breath to speak, he triggered the coughing spell he'd been trying so hard to avoid. The pain radiating from his injuries was bad, worsened by the diminished level of painkillers in his blood. He tried desperately to bring the coughing under control, but it was of no use. He was in it for the duration and at the complete mercy of his body.

Frightened, the idea of using the room's panic button to call for help never crossed Sam's mind. She reacted instead by grabbing a small pillow and firmly bracing it against his right side, mimicking the technique Janet had shown her off world. It didn't seem to do much at first, but then his coughing gradually began to ease and his gasps for air became deeper and more productive.

"Easy, colonel," she said, troubled by the amount of pain that showed on the man's face. "Just take it easy. I'm going to call for Janet."

"Don't…please, " Jack uttered, his voice hoarse from coughing. Janet's presence wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, but he knew the minute she arrived Sam would disappear. He'd lose the opportunity to speak with her alone, and – if she was as guilt ridden as Daniel said she was – he doubted he'd get another chance anytime soon.

"I'm okay…just gimme…" Still too out of breath to talk, Jack held up a finger to indicate he needed some time. He closed his eyes and tried to relax, the fiery pain from his ribs making it difficult. He felt tentative fingers straighten out the nasal cannula beneath his nose and pass a damp cloth across his face. If it had been anyone other than Sam, he would have raised a protest. Being fussed over wasn't something he particularly enjoyed, but he knew she had a lot on her mind. If he pushed back now, he'd most certainly scare her away.

A residual spasm rippled through his chest, triggering another round of deep, painful coughing. Jack groaned and uttered a curse. _I'm getting too old for this…_ He felt something small and square being pressed into his hand. He didn't have to open his eyes to know it was the switch for the PCA pump beside his bed. Janet had set him up with the self-medicating system the day after he'd woken up. Although she'd stressed the importance of pain management in his recovery, Jack had seldom used the device himself. He didn't like how the drugs made him feel, and it was usually the nursing staff that wound up pushing the button.

Sam sensed his hesitation. "Use it colonel, please."

Jack didn't like the desperate quality he heard in her voice. It made her sound nothing like the strong woman he'd had the honor of serving with for the past three years. The incident off world must have shaken her badly to be having such a profound effect.

"Carter, we…" Again, pain flared through his chest and he started to cough. If he was going to have a serious heart-to-heart with his second, this couldn't keep happening. He closed his hand over the PCA switch. The machine clicked and dispensed a dose of painkillers into his system. The drugs started to work almost immediately, dulling his pain and diminishing the need to cough. Jack didn't realize he'd begun to drift until he heard the familiar snap of a laptop being shut and footsteps retreating toward the door.

"Going so soon?"

Sam's hand froze halfway to the door handle. "You need to rest."

"I'm tired of sleeping," Jack replied, trying his best not to let the drugs slur his words. "Stay. Keep me company."

"I shouldn't, sir. You really…"

"Pleeease?"

Sam had learned early on that Jack O'Neill was a charmer. Although he kept the skill well hidden, he could switch on the endearing smile and vulnerable male act in an instant. It wasn't something she typically fell for, but given her guilt and his current condition, she found herself compelled to return to his bedside. "I guess I can stay for a few minutes."

"Great." An awkward silence fell between them, broken only by the quiet sounds of the medical equipment flanking the bed. "So…"

"So…"

"How's the wrist?"

Sam looked down at her splinted hand and tried to wiggle her fingers, flinching at the pain it caused. "It's all right, I guess. How about you?"

He gave a lopsided shrug. "I'll survive."

"Will you?" The words left Sam's mouth so fast she never had a chance to stop them. "Um…I-I mean…I need to go." Turning on her heel, she made a beeline for the door.

"Carter, this wasn't your fault."

She stopped, but didn't turn around. Jack had spoken the words she'd been both longing and dreading to hear. "Yes, it was."

"It was an accident. I thought Daniel said you'd accepted that fact."

"I've accepted that what happened was an accident. But I haven't accepted what I've done to you." She slowly turned to face him, her eyes bright with emotion. "I nearly killed you, colonel. I'm supposed to have your back, not be a liability."

"You're far from a liability, Carter. You just did what any curious person would have done."

"And what's that?"

"You saw something shiny on the ground, so you picked it up," Jack replied. "Even I would have done that."

Sam shook her head. "It's not that easy."

"You sure? 'Cuz it seems that way to me. This wasn't the first time we've been deceived by Goa'uld technology, and I dare say it won't be the last either."

"But that's just it. I _knew_ there was Goa'uld near by. I shouldn't have allowed myself to become complacent just because it was dead. If I had, I might have seen the stone as suspicious and left it alone until I could have it properly identified."

"That's hindsight, Carter. It has a nasty habit of always being right. Trust me. I've screwed up enough times to know that." Jack closed his eyes for a moment, holding back the bevy of dark emotions and memories that were threatening to inundate his mind. He knew some of it came from the medication he was on, but most of it was the need to show his friend that she wasn't alone in her feelings. "This was a blameless accident, Carter. You didn't violate an order or blatantly do something stupid. Now if you'd picked up a landmine, we'd be having an entirely different conversation."

He was rewarded with the barest of smiles, but she still didn't looked convinced. "I'm not mad or disappointed in you, and you certainly haven't lost my trust. Life throws enough crap at us, Sam. Don't hang on to the stuff you don't need to."

Sam's eyes widened as his last words sunk in. For as hardnosed and detached as the colonel could be, he possessed a soulful side as well. Although not always the most eloquent, Jack always spoke his mind, or in this case, his heart.

"But how do you forget something like this?" she asked.

Jack arched an eyebrow. "Forget? Carter, if you can find a way to forget something like this, then you gotta promise to clue me in. Stuff like this never goes away."

"Never? Then how…?"

"You do what you can to make things right, and then learn to cope with the rest. The pain and guilt will get better, but you have to accept things for what they are now, and not dwell on what they could or should have been."

"Now you're starting to sound like Teal'c."

Jack grinned and closed his eyes. He was exhausted from talking, but it had been worth the effort. Sam's disposition had changed; he'd seen it on her face. He knew it would take more than a pep talk to get her through this, but it was a good start.

There was a light knock on the door. "Am I interrupting anything?" Janet asked, poking her head inside.

"It's okay, Janet," Sam replied. "The colonel and I were just talking. I think I wore him out though."

"That's fine," the doctor replied as she and one of her nurses entered the room. "We won't be asking too much of him anyway."

"He had a pretty bad coughing spell a few minutes ago," Sam explained. "But he didn't want me to call you."

Janet noticed Jack had opened his eyes and was looking warily at the covered tray the nurse following her had brought in. "Turning stubborn on us already, colonel?

"Carter helped me through it. It was no big deal."

"Other than the coughing, how do you feel?"

"Terrific," he replied with a healthy dose of sarcasm.

"Really? I thought you'd be starting to get a little uncomfortable by now."

"He is," Sam said, ignoring the glare he shot in her direction.

"Well, hopefully that's something we're going to resolve. I have a new treatment I'd like to try. It's called an intercostal block, and if it works, you'll experience more consistent pain relief and rely less on medication."

"Sounds good," Jack replied. "What's the catch?"

Janet removed the cloth covering the instrument tray to reveal the handful of items needed for the procedure. Jack blanched upon seeing the assortment of syringes, some of them several inches in length.

"Oh, crap…" he uttered under his breath. "Haven't you people used me as a pincushion enough?"

"I understand it's not the most pleasant method, sir, but if it works, the benefits will far outweigh the brief discomfort. You'll be able to breathe easier, sit up for extended periods of time, and you won't be as groggy as you are now."

"It sounds like a nerve block," Sam remarked.

"Essentially, that's all it is," Janet agreed. "By placing anesthetic directly at the source of your pain, sir, we can better manage your symptoms and reduce your need for potent drugs. You'll still need some supplementary medication for your other injuries and flare ups, but the amounts will be significantly less than what you're on now. You'll be more aware of your surroundings and the recovery process will progress much faster. So what do you say – can we give it a try?"

The colonel frowned. The benefits were tempting, but the delivery method was not. He knew he'd been through worse just in the past couple of weeks alone, but he hadn't exactly been cognizant at the time. When he considered the alternative, however, a few uncomfortable jabs were far better than weeks of being heavily drugged and still in pain.

"Do it," he replied quietly.

Janet smiled and indicated for the nurse to start getting him ready. "You made a good choice, sir. Intercostal blocks have a high success rate, and they can last for weeks at a time."

"And if this doesn't work?" he asked skeptically.

"Then there are other methods to try, but believe me, this is the least invasive of them all."

Jack sighed shallowly and closed his eyes. There was no denying it - this wasn't going to be pleasant.

Sam hastily diverted her gaze as the nurse began to remove the bandages from around the right side of her CO's chest. The bruising, stitches, and healing incisions were just too much for her to handle. "I should leave."

Jack's eyes popped open. "Stay?"

"I don't…" Sam saw the vulnerability had returned to Jack's face, only this time it wasn't a charming ploy. He appeared genuinely upset, and she couldn't bring herself to abandon him like that. She looked to Janet for permission. "Can I?"

"It's up you," the doctor replied. "A distraction certainly wouldn't hurt."

Sam found a chair and dragged it around to the side of the bed. "I'm not sure what I can do to help you, sir."

"Just talk," he said, grimacing as Janet gently felt along his ribs, searching for the first injection site. "About anything."

"Anything, colonel?"

"All right. I lied. Nothing girlie, please." Janet's exploring fingers hit a particularly tender spot making him gasp and jump. He cursed, readily accepting Sam's hand when she offered it to be squeezed.

"Just don't break my fingers, okay? I need at least one working hand."

Janet took the top off the first syringe. "All right, colonel, I'm going to start now. I need you to bear with me and keep as still as you can. You should ideally be sitting up for this, but since you can't, it may take me a few tries to get the needle placed correctly. Are you ready?"

"Ask me tomorrow," he replied, bracing himself for the pain to come.

Taking his comment as an affirmative, she began to carefully guide the thin needle through his skin and into the space between his ribs.

Sam felt him tense, but he never moved away from the doctor's steady hands. "You're doing good, sir," she said, allowing him to squeeze her fingers as much as he needed.

"Talk, Carter," Jack uttered. "Please."

"I don't know what say."

"Tell me what's on your computer. Games? Movies? Compromising photos?"

Sam smiled. "I try to keep the dicey stuff off my work computer, sir. About the only thing of interest on it right now is the information pertinent to the MALP upgrade I'm getting ready to oversee."

"MALP upgrade," he echoed. "Sounds like fun."

"Fun? Well, I suppose that's one way to look at it. I've only been after General Hammond for the last few months to authorize it. But you know how the government can be about parting with their money. This upgrade has been a long time coming, though. The software has been outdated on those things practically since we got them, and don't even get me started on the…"

Jack closed his eyes and tried to focus exclusively on Sam's words. In truth, he didn't care two cents about the MALP upgrade, feeling the squat, boxy machines were often more trouble than they were worth. It was Sam's voice and the passion in it that helped steer his mind away from what Janet was doing. He still felt every move she made, but the pain was considerably less than if he were to have attempted to go it alone.

With his hand wrapped firmly around his teammate's, Jack permitted Sam to ramble on. She quickly lost herself in her explanation, and he started to hear the old Sam coming back – emerging from beneath her shroud of guilt. Grateful for her support and company, Jack listened without interruption, and allowed her enthusiasm to carry him away from his pain.

* * *

><p>A few days after enduring the painful process of nerve blocks, Jack was finally starting to feel a bit like his old self again. His pain had been worse at first, but with rest and frequent icing of the injection sites, it gradually improved. He was able to sit up for several hours at a time, and with less drugs in his system, he was more awake and aware of his surroundings. The promised TV was delivered and hooked up, complete with cable and a remote. It was a welcome distraction, especially at night when insomnia paid an uninvited visit.<p>

Jack shifted his gaze from the ball game he was watching to the young girl seated at his side. Cassandra Fraiser was hard at work, studiously doodling on his cast with a blue marker. She'd been with him for most of the afternoon, her textbooks and backpack lying in a heap in the corner. It was the last week of school, and she was gearing up for a summer of fun and relaxation.

"Hey, go easy on the pink, would ya?" Jack said, watching nervously as she traded the blue marker for a rose colored one.

Cassie flashed him a cheeky grin and kept right on coloring with the offensive color.

"What are you doing anyway?" he asked, trying to sneak a look at her design.

She quickly shielded her work with her hands. "Let me finish," she said in an insistent tone that reminded him of Janet.

Jack snorted and shook his head. "Artists…" He went back to watching the game, shooting an occasional glance over at Cassie to keep tabs on the pink marker. He didn't necessarily mind the color pink – he just didn't want to be sporting a cutesy design for the next six to eight weeks.

"Knock, knock." Daniel stuck his head in the room and looked around. "Hey, I thought someone said there was a party going on in here?"

"There was until you showed up."

"Funny." The archeologist stepped inside and held the door open for Janet. "I think you put the nerve block in the wrong place. His sarcasm still works."

She grinned and set her supply tray down on the counter. "I know it's hard to believe, but that's a good thing. It means he's feeling better."

"No. It just means Daniel's a party pooper."

Daniel crossed his arms over his chest. If Jack wanted snark, then snark was what he was going to get. "You know, I think I liked it better when you were unconscious."

Jack shot the younger man a steely glare before turning his attention to Janet. "Doc, do me a favor and see what your daughter has done to my cast, would you? She's been going at it with a pink marker for like an hour now."

She walked over to where Cassie was still working diligently on her drawing. What she saw made her smile. "That's great, Cass."

"Let me see." Carefully schooling his expression, Daniel knelt down beside the young girl. "Hey, that's really neat. You know what, though? I think it could use a little more pink right here…"

"Daniel…" Jack warned.

"Just trust me on this, Jack. A little more color and you'll be the talk of the base."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

Cassie giggled and bent over Jack's cast again with the pink marker. As she worked, Daniel nodded his approval. "Maybe some more along here…and a few more flowers for emphasis."

_More flowers? That does it…_ Jack made a grab at the offending marker with his left hand, but Cassie pulled it out of his reach at the last second. The sudden movement caused pain to tear across his the burn on his side and the cracked ribs beneath. Crying out, he dropped back against the pillows, cursing under his breath.

"I'm sorry!" Cassie exclaimed, jumping away from the bed. "Jack? Mom? I didn't mean…"

"It's okay, sweetie. It's all right," Janet soothed her daughter as she went to Jack's side. He had clamped his arm over his face, a silent indicator that he was in extreme pain. Without asking his permission, she pushed the button on his PCA pump to help bring his discomfort quickly under control. "Colonel?"

"I'm okay," he gasped into his arm. "I'm okay."

The doctor watched him closely as the medication took effect. His rapid breathing gradually slowed and his vital signs returned closer to normal. When he at last lowered his arm away from his face, Jack looked more embarrassed than sore.

"That was a bonehead maneuver," he muttered, his ribs aching dully through the drugs.

"Yes sir, it was," Janet agreed. "You should know better than to make sudden moves right now."

"Yeah, you'd think." He looked over at Cassie who was huddled up against Daniel and watching him through teary eyes. "Cassie…"

"I'm sorry, Jack," she said. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You didn't hurt me, kiddo. I hurt myself. I can't be jumping around just yet, and I forgot."

"But if I hadn't been using pink…"

Jack shook his head. "You know guys and pink. It just scares our macho side, that's all. There's really nothing wrong with it." She still didn't look convinced. "Can I see what you drew?"

Noticing the design was too low for him to easily see, Janet showed her daughter how to use a small mirror to reflect the image up to him. Jack chuckled when he saw the design, which - much to his relief – wasn't as cutesy as he'd originally feared. Just above his elbow was a large pair of pink lips, surrounded by a half a dozen smaller images, including a dog and a hockey skate. There was writing too, but it was difficult to read as the mirror reversed it.

"What's it say?" he asked.

" 'A kiss to make it better,' " Cassie read with a bashful smile.

"C'mere you," he said, indicting for her to go to his left. When she got close enough, he carefully wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you."

"I want you to get better, Jack," she said, gently returning the embrace. "I want you to take me camping again this summer. Like last year, except maybe without the poison ivy."

Jack grinned and dropped a kiss on her forehead. "I'll do my best, Cassie. If I can't take you, maybe Sam and Daniel can."

"Definitely," Daniel agreed. "And don't forget about Teal'c – he's great at making s'mores."

She nodded, but her face remained serious.

"Cheer up, kid," Jack said. "I'm on the mend. Your mom is taking good care of me, and the instant she says I'm good to go, I'm gone. We'll do something special together this summer - just you and me. I promise."

Janet put a hand on her daughter's arm. She knew how much Jack meant to the young girl. Cassie cared deeply for all of SG-1, but she'd struck a special bond with the colonel early on. His spontaneous nature and playfulness had helped her cope with the devastating loss of her family and the tough transition to life on Earth. If it hadn't been for his friendship, Janet knew Cassie's adjustment would never have gone so well.

"Cassie…"

"It's time for me to go, isn't it?" Cassie asked, perceptive as ever.

"Actually, it's almost time for both of us to go. I just need to change the colonel's bandages, and then we'll be heading out."

"Can I stay? I can help."

Janet shook her head. "No, sweetie, not today. But Daniel is going to take you over to the commissary to get something to eat. It's pizza night."

"I'm not hungry."

"That's too bad," Daniel said, playing up his disappointment. "Because the kitchen just got in a new ice cream maker, and they have all this stuff set up for sundaes…"

Cassie immediately perked up. "Ice cream?"

"A ton of it."

Having been exposed to the Earth dessert about a year ago, Cassie, like any kid, couldn't seem get to enough of it. "Well, I guess I am _a little _hungry…"

"Then you'd better get down there before the jarheads eat everything," Jack said.

Cassie turned to her mother. "Can I bring Jack a sundae?"

"That's a nice offer, sweetie, but the colonel can't have ice cream just yet," Janet replied. "Maybe in a week or two, okay?"

Jack saw the disappointment on his young friend's face. "Can't have ice cream? Dang. Guess you know what means."

"What?"

"Now _somebody_ has to eat mine _for_ me."

Cassie brightened once again. "I'll do it!" she cried. "I'll eat yours for you! Can I, mom? Can I have Jack's sundae too?"

"Too? As in addition to your own?" The doctor sighed and looked to Daniel who'd been watching the exchange with an amused grin on his face. "Just make sure she eats something other than ice cream first."

"I think I can do that." He dropped his hands on Cassie's shoulders and steered her towards the door. "Come on. Lets go see if Sam and Teal'c saved us a spot in line."

"Bye, Jack! Feel better!" she called as they exited into the hall.

Closing the door behind them, Janet turned and pegged Jack with the most annoyed glare she could muster.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"I think you know what." She began to extract the support pillows from behind his back. "I believe 'now _somebody_ has to eat mine _for_ me,' were your exact words."

"Oh, that," he chuckled. "It's the truth. I mean I'd hate to see good ice cream go to waste, and you know how the government is about wasting money…"

"Don't even go there, colonel." She used the bed's controls to lower him until he was nearly lying flat.

"So, what? You're gonna be mad at me now?"

"Mad? No, I'm not mad. At least not yet, anyway." She washed her hands at the sink and pulled on a pair of gloves. "Now if she's up for half the night complaining of a stomachache, then yes, I will be mad."

Jack winced as she removed the bandages covering the energy burn on his side. It was still tender, and the dressings had a tendency to stick to the raw spots. "Aw, c'mon, doc. Life's uncertain: eat dessert first."

Janet couldn't feign her annoyance any longer. The randomness of some of the things that came out of Jack O'Neill's mouth never seized to amaze her. She smiled and shook her head. "Please don't say that around Cassie. I'd never get another vegetable into her."

"You'd think for someone from a farming community, she wouldn't be able to get enough of those things," he said through a yawn.

"Cassie wear you out, sir?" she asked, noting the fatigue that had settled on his face.

"A little, but it's okay. I could have slept if I'd wanted to – she was pretty subdued for most of the afternoon."

"She's been that way the last couple of days." Janet picked up some antiseptic soaked gauze from her supply tray. "This is going to sting."

Jack flinched as she began to clean the burn, but he didn't complain. "Is everything all right?"

"She had placement testing last week at school to help determine the level of classes she'll be taking next year in Junior High."

"Yeah? How'd she do?"

"According to the information I got from the school, their goal is to have the majority of students fall into the mainstream category, with a certain percentage taking all or several advanced level classes. They do offer some remedial courses, but they prefer…"

"Janet." Jack interrupted her when he realized she wasn't answering his question. "How did she do?"

The doctor sighed. "She met the advanced course standards for reading and writing, and the mainstream standards for social studies. Her science is borderline for mainstream and her math…she's still struggling to keep up with her classmates."

"A lot of the concepts are still new to her. She's a smart kid – she'll catch up. I mean she's only been on Earth for a year and a half."

"I know that and you know that, but the school…they just know her as a transfer student from Toronto. They have no idea about her true history. I think they're just surprised she's made it as far as she has with her math and science being so weak. If only I could give them her records from Hanka, they could see that her schooling had been completely different up until now. Curriculums vary just between schools, but can you imagine the differences between Earth and others planets?"

"What's her teacher say?"

Finished with cleaning his burn, Janet began to apply an antibiotic cream to worst spots. "I haven't had a chance to speak with Mrs. Struble yet, but the guidance department…"

"Oh, here we go…" Jack uttered under his breath, having dealt with pretentious school guidance counselors in the past.

"…offered up a few options. Their first suggestion was to hold her back, keeping her in the sixth grade for another year."

"Keep her back for one, maybe two subjects? Please. I hope you explicitly told them to shove it."

"In not so many words, but yes, I did. Cassie's doing just fine otherwise and she's found a good group of friends that I don't want her to lose. In my mind, keeping her back is not an option."

"What's number two?" he asked.

"Summer school."

"And subject Cassie to the trouble makers and chronic underachievers? Sounds like another no to me."

"That was my opinion too, however I told them the odd hours wouldn't work with my schedule here on the base," she explained. "Option three has the most appeal, but I still have my doubts."

"What is it?"

"Private tutoring in the areas she needs the most help with."

"What's wrong with that?"

"I'm afraid that questions may arise about her past. She's been doing a great job with the cover story we gave her, but if a tutor starts to question her about her pervious learning experiences, something might slip." Janet sighed and shook her head. "I know I'm probably just being paranoid, but I don't want to put Cassie in that situation."

Jack shook his head. "It's not paranoia, doc. You're just looking out for Cassie's best interests, and the interests of the SGC too. What about getting someone she already knows to help?"

"I suppose I could ask Sam to help with her math," Janet said, positioning a wet dressing over his burn. "She really enjoyed it when Daniel helped her with world history."

"I have no doubt in Carter's willingness or ability to help, but having an astrophysicist tutor a sixth grader might do more harm than good."

"I hadn't thought of it like that. I've put a call into her teacher for some suggestions. I'm kind of hoping she'll offer to tutor Cassie herself." She put a heavy bandage over the dressing and taped it into place. "I just want to do the right thing for Cassie. She's been doing so good…I don't want to see her get discouraged."

"You'll do the right thing," Jack assured her. "Just make sure the final decision is yours and not the school's."

"Thank you, colonel," she said, offering him a smile. It wasn't often they got a chance to talk like this, and she welcomed the opportunity to be candid. "Sometimes it helps talking to anot…" _…Another parent…_ "A good friend."

If Jack caught her near slip, he didn't show it. "Anytime, doc," he said, yawning again. "I aim to please."

Janet lifted an eyebrow. "Really? I'll have to remember that next time I want my house painted."

"You couldn't afford me."

"That's assuming I decided to pay you."

He gave her a tired glare and closed his eyes, rapidly losing the ability to stay awake.

The doctor chuckled when she heard him grumble something about women. "Try to relax, sir. I'll be just a few more minutes and then you can rest."

Working quietly so not to disturb her patient, she quickly checked, cleaned, and redressed the surgical wounds on his right side. Satisfied he was healing properly, she gave him his scheduled medication and prepared to leave.

Hefting Cassie's backpack onto her shoulder, Janet returned to Jack's side. "Colonel?" she asked, trying to gauge whether or not the man was awake.

"Hmm?"

"I'm all through here and I'm getting ready to head out. I just wanted to let you know I'm taking the weekend off, so I won't see you until Monday. I've decided to take Cassie out to the lake to see if I can cheer her up a bit. Dr. Warner will be in charge and I've requested Captain Tomas to be your nurse. You're okay with her, right?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Good. Now get some rest, do what Warner and Tomas tell you to do, and I'll see you on Monday." Janet turned to leave and was surprised when she felt a tug on the back of her white coat. She turned back to find Jack's dark brown eyes looking up at her. "Colonel?"

"You're a good mother, Janet. Don't second guess yourself on that," he said sleepily.

"Sir, I think…"

"And don't say it's just the drugs talking, 'cuz it's not. Give me another five minutes and maybe, but…" He made a vague gesture with is hand and she smiled. "I know you feel stuck between the proverbial 'rock-and-a-hard-place' with this, but you'll make the right choice. Just listen to your guts – they'll tell you what to do."

"My guts, huh?"

"Yep. And if you or Cassie ever need anything, you know where to find me."

She reached out and squeezed his hand. "Thank you, sir. That means a lot – to both of us."

Jack nodded, closed his eyes, and relaxed.

Smoothing a wrinkle from his blankets, Janet turned and quietly headed for the door. "Goodnight, sir," she said and let herself out, the seed of an idea forming in the back of her mind.

* * *

><p>THUMP!<p>

One of Daniel's hardbound tomes landed solidly on the floor. Diving after his book, the archeologist felt a pair of eyes boring into the back of his head. "I'm sorry, Jack. It won't happen ag…oh." Daniel looked up and was surprised to find that it was Teal'c glowering at him, not Jack. The other man was sound asleep, oblivious to the loud sound that had just occurred. "Sorry, Teal'c. I'll try to be more careful."

"See that you are, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c rumbled and turned back to his game.

Feeling somewhat scolded, Daniel placed his reference book further back on the table to prevent it from being knocked off again. Sighing, he went back to his reading, frowned, and looked up at Jack. It bothered him that the loud thud his falling book made hadn't woken him up. He was typically a light sleeper, and would wake up at the slightest of sounds.

_It must be the drugs…_ Daniel thought, watching the man sleep. _He seems_ _all right otherwise. Maybe a little quieter than usual, but Janet said to expect some bad days along the way. Unless we wore him out yesterday…_

He and Teal'c had spent much of Saturday afternoon with Jack, playing games, watching TV, and generally just hanging out. Sam joined them when she could, but much of her time was devoted to the MALP upgrade that was scheduled to begin on Monday. They'd talked and laughed and joked, enjoying each other's company and friendship. It was the most time they'd spent together as a team since the accident, and it was reassuring to see their leader sitting up, alert, and relatively pain free.

They'd started today off with a group breakfast, having smuggled a variety of foods from the commissary up to the infirmary level. Jack's diet and appetite were still limited, but he'd eaten what he could. Sam retreated to her lab shortly after the meal was done, and Jack's private room was once again transformed into a man cave. The three men enjoyed a few rounds of poker before Jack began to show signs of tiring. Daniel and Teal'c had offered to leave, but Jack insisted it was all right for them to stay and that he just needed to rest his eyes for a few minutes.

Daniel glanced at his watch. _That was almost four hours ago. Jack's been asleep ever since. We just should have left…_ He looked across the room at Teal'c, who was absorbed in the video game he was playing. It had been Jack's idea to introduce the large man to the world of gaming, and Teal'c had taken to it with little difficulty. He'd been working on _Tomb Raider_ for most of the morning, his undivided attention on the television screen in front of him.

The archeologist sighed and picked up his book. He was researching the Titan Cronus in hopes of finding more information about Menoetius. There was so little information available on the lesser Titan that Daniel was beginning to think Menoetius must have been fairly young when Cronus put a price on his head. _Leave it to a Goa'uld to cut his teeth on stealing slaves from a System Lord. But nobody ever said they were smart. Arrogant, narrow minded, and greedy – yes. But smart? Not so…_

Daniel nearly tore a page out of his book when Jack suddenly began to cough. It was a deep, painful sounding bark that shook the entire bed. Both Daniel and Teal's were at their friend's side in an instant, worried and wanting to help.

"Jack? Jack? Are you all right? Do you want us to call a nurse?" Daniel asked, already reaching for the call button.

Jack shook his head and flapped his hand at the box of tissues beside his bed. Teal'c passed it to him, and he quickly brought a wad of them to his mouth. A few bone jarring coughs later, and the junk in his lungs finally rattled free. Spitting into the tissues, Jack grimaced at the foul taste as he wiped his mouth.

"That looks like it hurts," Daniel muttered, holding up the trashcan for his friend.

"It does…" Jack wheezed, tossing the soiled tissues into the garbage. He coughed again and winced. "Ow…crap."

"Perhaps the treatment Doctor Fraiser administered is no longer effective," Teal'c suggested.

"No…it's working, believe me," he panted, trying to catch his breath. "That stuff lasts for weeks. My chest just feels a little funny today. Tight."

Daniel offered Jack a drink of water and helped him to steady the glass. "Maybe you should talk to one of the nurses. There might be something wrong."

The colonel waved it off. "Nah. It's probably just from the damned breathing exercises that bully of a therapist made me do. It'll pass."

"Are you sure? I mean you really shouldn't mess around with…"

"Daniel." Jack's tone indicated he wasn't in the mood to argue. "Drop it, okay? I'm fine."

"Perhaps we should leave and allow O'Neill to rest in peace."

Daniel clapped a hand against his forehead and Jack chuckled wearily. "Not the best choice of words there, Big Guy."

"I do not understand."

" 'Rest in peace' is generally reserved for…well…um…" the archeologist squirmed, trying to decide how to best word it. "Let's just say that…"

"It's what we say about dead people, Teal'c," Jack explained, articulate as ever.

"I see," Teal'c replied, realizing his mistake. "I did not mean to refer to you in such a manner, O'Neill. I merely wished to suggest that our presence may be preventing you from resting adequately."

"You do look tired, Jack."

The other man gave a lopsided shrug. "I just haven't been sleeping well. Nights are always the wors…" His words came out in a rush as he began to cough again, the intensity of the spell making his eyes water.

"I'm not so sure we _should_leave him," Daniel said. "If this is going to keep happening…"

"It won't," Jack uttered in between coughs. "It'll stop as soon as I…" He coughed, cleared his throat, and coughed again. The tickle that had caused the fit subsided, but the ache in his chest did not. "Oh god…I swear I'll never complain about a cold ever again."

"Are you sure you want us to leave? We can be quiet…"

Jack had shut his eyes, his face shadowed with pain. "I'll be fine. I just need some sleep. Sorry I haven't been much of a host."

"We are not here for hosting, O'Neill. We are here to provide you with companionship."

Jack briefly cracked open an eye and looked at Teal'c, the large man's expression unreadable. "Is that what you guys were doing? Thanks – I appreciate it."

Daniel and Teal'c quietly gathered their things and proceeded to the door.

"We'll come check on you later," Daniel said, struggling to hold onto his pile of books and papers. "We'll bring Sam too. Maybe have dinner or something." He waited for Jack to respond, but a soft, raspy snore was all he got. "Wow. I guess he's really tired."

"Indeed," Teal'c agreed with a frown.

Dimming the lights, the two men left their friend to rest, their faces mirroring each other's unspoken concern.


	10. Chapter 10

Juggling her briefcase and a cup of coffee, Janet swiped her keycard through the wall-mounted reader and fumbled with the knob. Letting herself into her office, she flipped on the lights with her elbow, purposely ignoring the piles of paperwork and flashing phone messages that were waiting for her. She had thoroughly enjoyed her weekend at the lake with her daughter, and regretted having to return to the confines of the mountain entombed base so soon.

She dropped her briefcase onto one of the chairs and sipped at her coffee as she surveyed the damage. At least a dozen charts and folders occupied the "in" box, patiently awaiting her review and signature. Her phone indicated she had eight saved messages, and several hand written memos were stacked neatly on her keyboard. Clearly her services had been in high demand.

_I need a clone…_ She thought, pulling a clean lab coat off the rack and slipping it on.

"Dr. Fraiser?"

Janet turned around to find Captain Tomas standing in the open doorway. She gestured for her to come in.

"Did you have a good weekend, ma'am?"

"I did," she replied, taking a seat at her desk. "I can't remember the last time got to lay out in the sun like that. It was nice. How were things here?"

"Well…" Tomas produced two folders from beneath her arm and held them out for the doctor to take. "I realize you're just getting in, but I thought you might want to see these right away."

Curious, Janet accepted the folders and flipped open the top one. It was Sam's medical chart. She quickly read through the most recent notations. "Her energy burn is infected. I thought it looked pretty good when I left on Friday."

"It did," Tomas agreed. "Apparently Major Carter got motor lubricant on her hands several days ago. Instead of coming to the infirmary for help, she took care of it herself. She came in last night with a low-grade fever, pain, and localized swelling. We scrubbed it clean, dressed it properly, and instructed her to keep it dry. She's due in sometime this morning for a recheck, but Dr. Warner is pretty sure the infection is secondary and will clear up quickly with antibiotics and rest."

_Sam rest when there's work to do? Obviously Warner forgot who he was dealing with…_ Janet thought as she set her friend's folder off the side and picked up the next one. It was significantly thicker than Sam's had been and she had a pretty good idea who it belonged to. She flipped it open and found Jack's name staring up at her from the cover sheet. As she scanned down through the notes made by Warner and Morgan, she felt the sense of relaxation she'd acquired over the weekend start to dissolve. _'…Symptoms indicative of the early stage of pneumonia…' damn it…_

"I've heard of sympathy pains, but never sympathy infections," she said, shaking her head. "He was doing so good too."

Tomas saw the discouragement on the doctor's face. "Dr. Jackson and Teal'c alerted us to the change in colonel's condition early yesterday afternoon. He's been slowly deteriorating ever since."

"Did Dr. Warner take x-rays?"

"No. He didn't feel that the colonel's symptoms were severe enough to warrant an x-ray, but he started him on an antibiotic as a precaution."

"This is that last thing he needs," Janet muttered more or less to herself. "All right. I'm going to go check on the colonel and see how he's doing. If Major Carter should happen to come by, keep her here. I want to take a look at her hand personally."

"Yes, ma'am," Tomas replied, turning on her heel to leave.

"Oh, and captain?"

"Ma'am?"

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention. It's definitely something I needed to know about. "

The officer nodded and quietly left the room.

Alone in her office, Janet sighed and took a long drink from her rapidly cooling coffee. She looked at the pile of paperwork on her desk and the blinking message light on her phone. She knew there were people counting on her to get those things done, but they would just have to wait until later. Grabbing her stethoscope from its hook on the wall, she stood and headed for the door. There was no use denying it; it was going to be a very long day.

* * *

><p>Jack was miserable. His head hurt and his body ached. His chest was on fire and it was becoming a conscious effort to take an adequate breath. He would be shivering one minute and sweating the next; the skin beneath his bandages and cast prickling terribly. He was exhausted, but unable to sleep thanks to the intense coughing fits that would jar him awake.<p>

He opened his eyes when he felt a cool hand brush across his face. Janet was at his side, watching him with a mixture of concern and sympathy.

"I leave for a couple of days and look what happens," she said, mercifully keeping her voice low.

"Sorry, doc," Jack mumbled, his voice hoarse from frequent coughing.

She pushed his sweaty bangs away from his forehead. "You don't have to apologize, colonel, I'm just teasing you. I saw the notes Dr. Warner left in your chart. It sounds like you had a pretty rough day yesterday."

"He thinks it's pneumonia."

"That's what it sounds like, but I want to look you over myself just to be sure, okay?"

Jack nodded. "Daniel said Carter's sick too."

"I haven't seen Sam personally yet, but yes, her burn is infected," she explained. She saw his weary expression darken with concern. "I don't want you worrying about her though. My staff and I will take care of her, just like we're going to take care of you. You're both going to be fine."

He searched her face for a moment, as if he didn't quite believe her reassuring words. Finally he relaxed and shut his is eyes, the brief interaction wearing him out.

"Let me wash my hands, sir, and then we'll try to figure out what's going on. You might need to have a couple of x-rays, but I want to see how your lungs sound first." Janet walked over to the sink and turned on the water. She felt sorry for Jack. His injuries were bad enough, but now to be getting sick on top of them just didn't seem fair. She had hoped his work with a respiratory specialist would have prevented such complications and was discouraged to learn it hadn't been enough. She felt like she'd let him down in some ways, and could only hope that she'd be able to make things right again.

Jack was dozing when she returned to his side. She could already tell he wasn't breathing right just by watching the rise and fall of his chest. The numbers displayed on the assorted monitors around the bed confirmed his declining condition as well. The doctor sighed and put on her stethoscope. She didn't have to listen to his lungs for long before she heard the telltale crackle of trapped fluid. It was a subtle sound – only detectable when he took a deep enough breath – but it was definitely there. Warner had either missed it entirely, or Jack had worsened since his last report.

"Colonel?" she said, trying to wake him as gently as possible.

"Hmm?"

"Can you take a deep breath for me, sir?"

"I'll start coughing."

"That's okay – I want you to try it anyway." She listened carefully as he drew in a couple of shallow breaths before attempting her request. He managed to fill his lungs about half their capacity before the coughing started, the harsh rattling sound of fluid filling her ears. Having heard all she needed, Janet pulled off her stethoscope and turned her attention to comforting her friend.

Jack's eyes began to water as the pain in his chest grew worse. He felt Janet put light pressure against his damaged ribs, and while it helped his discomfort, it did nothing to stop the deep, barking coughs that were shaking his body. Slowly, and with a tremendous effort on his part, he brought the unbearable hacking under control.

Satisfied that he was finished, Janet eased the pressure off his ribs and handed him a tissue. She didn't like how short of breath the spell had left him, nor the wheezing sound he made with each shallow inhalation. There was no doubt in her mind that he had pneumonia, and given the extent of his injuries, she knew they'd only get one chance to bring it under control.

"You want some water?" she asked, offering her patient a drink.

Jack took a few tentative sips from the glass before motioning her away.

"You okay?"

"Yeah – I'm…ow…I'm good," he uttered, wrapping his arm around his chest to support his burning ribcage. "Kinda getting used to it."

"Well, I would definitely say you have pneumonia, sir, but I still want to get a few x-rays to see how far it's progressed. I'm going to have the portable unit brought up – I think it'll be less stressful on everyone to do it that way. Will you be all right for a second while I make the call?"

The colonel nodded and closed his eyes. He'd been lying when he told Janet that he was getting used to the coughing fits. He couldn't tell if they were getting worse, or he was just getting weaker. Even with all the training and first hand experience he'd had dealing with pain, each cough felt like it was bringing him one step closer to losing it. It wasn't a feeling he particularly enjoyed.

He heard the doctor's brisk footsteps as she returned from making her call. She paused for a moment, and then there was a small 'click' up behind his head. Almost immediately, Jack felt the numbing effects of painkillers entering his bloodstream. She had triggered his PCA pump. "I don't need…"

"Yes, you do. You may be able to hide your pain from the others, colonel, but you can't from me." Janet pulled a chair up beside his bed and sat down. "Besides, you're going to appreciate it when the x-ray techs get here and start moving you around."

Jack grunted, but dropped the issue. He knew there were some arguments he just couldn't win, and this was one of them. He settled for changing the topic instead. "How'd your weekend with Cassie go?"

"Great. We practically had the whole lake to ourselves. We did some hiking, took out the canoe – my shoulders are killing me from that – we played in the sand, laid in the sun…"

"Swimming?"

"Not me, no; the water is still far too cold for that. Cassie, on the other hand – I had everything I could do to get her _out_ of the water." The doctor chuckled. "She gets around like a fish though. You taught her well, sir."

He smiled weakly. "She's a natural."

"We had a little talk about school too."

"What'd she say?"

"Well she wanted to know why she was singled out of her class and what was in the notes the guidance office keeps sending home with her. I told her that her math skills were a little behind some of her friends, and the school was concerned it might make her transition into to Junior High difficult," Janet explained, noting the concern on Jack's face. "I said they were looking for the best way to help her get those skills to make the change go as smooth as possible."

"Does she know they want to keep her back?"

"No, and I've told the school I'd prefer her not to know. She's already upset about the results of the testing; I don't want her thinking she's not smart enough, because she is. Schools on Hanka just didn't stress math and science like we do here." The doctor sighed. "I have a meeting with her teacher tomorrow afternoon to get her take on things. Hopefully she can come up with something more reasonable than what the guidance department did."

There was a knock at the door. Janet excused herself and went to open it, finding three radiology technicians, the portable x-ray equipment, and a bewildered looking Daniel waiting on the other side.

"Janet?" he asked, standing on tiptoes to try and see into the room. "What's going on? Is Jack okay?"

"Go ahead and get set up. I'll just be a minute," she said to the lead technician. She waited patiently for the group to maneuver the ungainly machine into the room and closed the door behind them.

"Is Jack…?"

"He's sick, Daniel," Janet replied. "He has pneumonia."

"What? Are you sure?"

"Quite sure. I've ordered x-rays to be certain, but the symptoms are all there."

"But how? He's been doing so well. He seemed a little off yesterday, but he said he was tired."

"The risk of infection is always present with chest injuries, especially severe ones. I had hoped to avoid it, but sometimes prevention just isn't enough."

"He's going to be okay though, right?"

"I don't know."

"What?"

"Pneumonia is tricky, Daniel. It can rapidly overwhelm even a relatively healthy person. The colonel has been improving, yes, but his systems are still weak from the accident."

The archeologist frowned. "So Jack could still…?"

"I'm sorry. I know how hard it is to hear this, and I wish I could tell you he was going to be okay, but I just don't know. There are a lot of factors at work here, and if even one of them goes wrong, we stand a chance of losing him."

Daniel looked down at the floor, fixing his gaze on a dark fleck embedded in the concrete. The news of Jack's worsening condition seemed almost surreal. When he'd bid his friend goodnight the evening before, he'd sensed something was off, but he never imagined it would be this bad.

Janet saw a mixture of emotions playing across her friend's face. "Daniel?"

"He was doing so good…"

"I know."

"He was joking and laughing and complaining… It was almost like he was his old self again."

"I know."

"And now we could still lose him."

Janet could hear the disappointment and frustration in her friend's voice. "I know this feels like a low blow, but we're not letting him go without a fight. There are some strong antibiotics out there that will help tip the scales in his favor and increase his chances of making it through this."

"Sam's sick too."

"I haven't seen her yet, but it sounds like Sam's infection is secondary. It should clear up with the proper medication and plenty of rest."

An ironic smile twitched at the corner of Daniel's mouth. " 'Plenty of rest.' With that big MALP project going on, you're going to have to tie Sam to a bed to get that to happen."

"I can have that arranged, believe me."

Daniel's smile widened briefly before fading just as quickly. "Do you think I could sit with Jack?"

She started to say no, but then realized the colonel would probably appreciate some familiar company. "I'll tell you what: let us get the x-rays we need and then you can sit with him for a bit."

"Really? Thanks."

"Just remember that he needs to rest. I doubt he'll be in the mood for chatting anyway, he's feeling pretty lousy right now."

"Do I have enough time to go let Sam and Teal'c know what's going on?"

"Actually, I'd rather have you wait on that."

"What? Why? Jack's sick, they need to know."

"I agree, but right now the colonel needs to rest, and he can't do that surrounded by his well-meaning, overly concerned teammates," she said. "Let me confirm his diagnosis first and we'll tell the others."

Daniel didn't like keeping the condition of their leader from the rest of the team, but he understood where Janet was coming from. "Okay."

The door to Jack's room opened and one of the technicians poked her head out. "We're ready when you are, Dr. Fraiser."

"Thank you – I'll be right in," Janet replied. She turned back to Daniel who looked lost in thought. "Are you going to be okay?"

Daniel nodded. He was still upset by the news, but he took some consolation in knowing his friend at least had a chance. "Yeah. I just didn't expect to be confronted with this when I got up this morning."

"Neither did I," she replied. "I know you're worried, but try to keep an open-mind. It will benefit everyone, including the colonel." She offered him a reassuring smile. "We shouldn't be long."

Left alone in the corridor, Daniel slid off his glasses and scrubbed a hand across his face. He had a headache, borne of stress and concern for his friends. He'd known about Sam, but to hear of Jack's deterioration was a complete surprise. Janet was right when she said this was a low blow. They already thought they'd lost him once back on the alien world, but to have to face it again just didn't seem fair.

Daniel sank down into one of the plastic chairs lined up along the corridor. Dropping his head back against the cool concrete wall, he looked up at the tangle of pipes on the ceiling. He hated to wait, but if it got him into see Jack, he'd sit there all day. Sighing, he closed his eyes and tried to think of the best way to break the discouraging news to his friends.

* * *

><p>General Hammond frowned as he skimmed down through the report he was holding. From the corner of his eye, he could see Janet hovering by the large glass window near the front of his office, anxiously fiddling with a penlight she had taken from her pocket. He'd been preparing to leave for the day when her tentative knock at his door had interrupted him. Wearing an expression of fatigue mixed with concern, she had passed him three folders to review.<p>

"This isn't the sort of news I like to get at the end of the day, doctor," he said upon finishing the final report.

She came to the front of his desk. "I know, sir, and I'm sorry. It's just been a busy day. I would have gotten to you sooner, but when SG-5 came back after spending the night under prepared in below freezing conditions, they became my top priority."

"Of course, I understand," he replied, retrieving that particular report from the pile and flipping it open. "So the members of SG-5 will be all right?"

"Yes, sir. All four members were treated for mild hypothermia and frostbite upon their return. Apparently the hollow tree they took shelter in protected them from the worst of the elements. We're keeping them in the infirmary overnight for observation, but they should be just fine."

"And what about Major Carter and Colonel O'Neill?"

"As Dr. Warner suspected, Major Carter's infection is secondary. Her burn got contaminated with engine lubricant while she was working, and she tried to take care of it herself. The wound subsequently became infected, and she sought help when it wasn't getting any better. Although not serious, it did require her burn to be thoroughly scrubbed clean. This completely reopened the wound and now she's back to square one as far as healing goes. She's been put on antibiotics and 72 hours of strict rest."

"I bet that went over well," Hammond remarked, knowing how much Sam enjoyed staying busy.

"Sam and I had a long discussion about what light duty means and the potential ramifications of her infection getting worse. Blood poisoning is just the beginning, especially where the injury is so close to a mending broken bone. Assuming she does what she's told and doesn't over do it when she's released to go back to work, I don't foresee her having any more problems with it."

"That's good to know. Now what about the colonel?"

Janet sighed and sat down in one of the chairs facing the general's desk. "Colonel O'Neill has me worried. X-rays confirmed he's in the early stages of pneumonia. Normally this wouldn't pose such a concern as it's quite treatable, but his injuries will most likely complicate things. He has fluid in his lungs, and the urge to cough is ever present. He's miserable and in a lot of pain."

"Any idea what caused it?"

"Pneumonia is a common complication of chest injuries. Pain causes patients not to breathe as deeply as they normally would, and bacteria can build up in the lungs. I had hoped the breathing exercises the colonel was doing with Lieutenant Morgan would have been enough to prevent this, but it obviously wasn't. I realize now he should have been on a low dose of antibiotic from the beginning as an added layer of protection."

"It's not your fault, doctor," Hammond assured her. "What's his prognosis?"

"At this point, it's too soon say," she replied. "I've changed his antibiotic to something more aggressive than the one Dr. Warner had him on initially. We're watching him closely and looking out for signs of undue distress. Right now he's breathing adequately on his own, but we're ready to step in if things change. We're also working to keep his fever down and his discomfort at a minimum."

"So things could still go either way?"

Janet nodded solemnly. "Yes sir. Hopefully we caught it early enough to keep it from progressing much further, but things can change very quickly."

The general sighed. He'd gotten the feeling that Jack's situation wasn't good just by reading the report, but to hear the details from Janet herself made his heart sink. "I trust you'll do your best, doctor. Keep me apprised of both…"

There was a sharp, urgent knock at his door. It swung open a moment later to admit Sergeant Harriman. "I'm sorry to interrupt, sir, but I just got an urgent call from the infirmary. They need Dr. Fraiser to report to Colonel O'Neill's room immediately."

Janet was already on her feet. "Sir…"

"Go. I'll be right behind you," Hammond said. The petite doctor had left his office and was out of sight before he'd even stood up from his chair. He quickly stowed the confidential folders in his desk and hurried out the door after her.

* * *

><p><em>One…two…three…four…five…turn.<em>

_Five…four…three…two…one…turn._

Daniel paced the narrow length of the corridor outside of Jack's private room. Pacing wasn't something he normally did, but he was agitated and it provided an outlet for his anxious energy. Jack's condition had just gone from bad to worse, and he and Teal'c had had a front row seat.

_One…two…three…four…five…turn._

He glanced at Teal'c as he rigidly stalked by. The large man was seated on one of the plastic chairs with eyes closed and his shoulders squared, apparently meditating. He and Sam had come down to see Jack around lunch after working for most of the morning converting a spare storeroom into a suitable workshop for the MALP upgrade. Their team vigil was interrupted a short time later when Sam was summoned to the infirmary for an appointment with Janet. She never returned, and a nurse later informed them that she'd been ordered to rest for the remainder of the day.

The two men spent the afternoon quietly keeping their sick friend company. Daniel occupied himself with a stack of photos depicting ancient glyphs that another SG team had discovered off world. Teal'c spent his time either meditating or playing his video game with the sound piped through a set of headphones. Jack slept, waking only briefly during the worst of his coughing spells before being claimed by sleep once again.

_Except for that last time…_ Daniel thought. He'd been thumbing through one of his reference books when Jack began to cough. He didn't think much of it at first; his friend had been experiencing bouts of coughing all afternoon. It was when the coughing didn't stop after a minute or two that he became worried. Even with headphones on, Teal'c had sensed there was something wrong and left his game to check on his teammate. As his coughing continued, Jack became progressively more distressed. Just as they were about to call for help, there was an odd cracking sound and his pain seemed to increase tenfold. Blood appeared on his lips, and he seemed unable to pull in enough air. Teal'c had hit the panic button, and within seconds, the small room was crawling with medical personnel.

_I wish they hadn't kicked us out… _Daniel stopped pacing and looked at the closed door leading to Jack's room. There was no telling what was going on inside. Janet had flown through several minutes ago, barely acknowledging their presence before disappearing into the room. Now all they could do was wait.

"Good evening, gentlemen."

Daniel turned when a familiar voice spoke from behind him. It was Hammond. "General," he greeted. "Have you heard about Jack?"

"I was with Dr. Fraiser when she got the page for assistance from her team. Do either of you know what happened?"

"O'Neill was unable to stop coughing. His condition quickly deteriorated and he began expelling blood," Teal'c explained, rousing from his meditative state.

"The lead nurse said it looked like Jack's right lung may have collapsed again," Daniel added. "She said Janet would be able to tell for sure."

"I certainly hope it's nothing that serious, " Hammond replied. A re-collapsed lung was the last thing Jack needed. Any more complications, and he feared the injured man might not make it through. He sighed and gestured to the row of chairs along the wall. "May I wait with you?"

"Of course, General Hammond," Teal'c said with a nod.

As Hammond took a seat, Daniel resumed his pacing. Except for the occasional scuff of his boot heels, the hallway fell silent. There was no small talk, conjectures, or expressions of fears or hopes. They were there to support Jack, even if they couldn't be with him directly.

_One…two…three…four…five…turn._

_Five…four…three…two…one…turn._

Time passed slowly as the three men waited. Teal'c returned to his meditation and Hammond merely sat with his arms crossed and a distant expression on his face. Daniel continued to pace and count, occupying his worried mind and body with the same mundane mantra and repetitive movement.

_One…two…three…four…five…turn._

_Five…four…three…two…one…turn._

At last the door opened and Janet stepped out. The three men nearly came to attention, anxious to hear what the doctor had to say.

"How is he?" Daniel asked as she approached.

"He's doing okay," she replied. "We got his coughing under control and made him as comfortable as possible. He's resting now."

"What happened, doctor?" Hammond asked. "Dr. Jackson said it was thought his lung might have collapsed again."

"That's what I thought too when I first saw him," she agreed. "But based on the results of his exam, I'm fairly certain that's not the case. My team is preparing to take him over to radiology for an MRI to rule it out completely though."

"If O'Neill's lung has not collapsed, what do you believe caused these new symptoms?" Teal'c inquired.

"I suspect his coughing has aggravated some of the injuries he sustained in the accident. He's definitely re-broken several of his ribs, now whether or not they having anything to do with his bleeding remains yet to be seen."

"This could really be serious then," Hammond said, concern evident in his voice.

"Yes sir, it has the potential to be," Janet replied.

Their heads all turned when the door to Jack's room opened and several nurses began the delicate task of guiding the bed through the narrow doorway.

"Janet, can we see him for a minute?" Daniel asked.

"I don't see why not."

The three men gathered together and waited as the nurses brought the bed to a stop in front of them. Hammond hung back as the others stepped forward, allowing them some space to be with their teammate.

Daniel reached out and took Jack's hand. He barely recognized his friend beneath the fogged oxygen mask and haggard appearance. They had cleaned the blood from his face, but in his mind, he could still see it smeared across his mouth and chin. He shook his head to clear away the unpleasant image. "Is he unconscious?"

"He's sedated, but he can still hear you," Janet replied.

"Hey, Jack. It's me – it's Daniel. Teal'c and General Hammond are here too. We ah…" He paused and cleared his throat. It was hard seeing his friend like this and his voice kept trying to break. "We just want you to know that we're all here pulling for you and that we hope you start feeling better soon."

"Your presence is greatly missed, O'Neill," Teal'c added. "Daniel Jackson does not possess the same vigor as you do at boxing. I am hopeful for the day when we may spar again."

"We all miss you, Jack," the general agreed. "The base is too quiet without you around."

Daniel felt Jack's fingers close weakly around his own and saw his lips moving behind the mask. "Jack? Janet, I think he's trying to say something."

The doctor leaned forward and tipped the mask away from her patient's face long enough to hear what he had to say. Smiling, she replaced the mask and patted him on the arm. "He said he's not dead yet."

Daniel grinned. _That's our Jack…_ "Of course you're not, and you're not going to be either," Daniel said, tightly gripping his friend's hand. "You've just got to hang on and fight. Show that pneumonia whose boss, kick its ass – do whatever it takes. And you're not fighting this alone. We all are. Sam, Teal'c, and I, the general, Janet and her staff – the whole base is rooting for you, Jack. Don't give up. We still need you out there."

Janet had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself composed. It was always difficult to remain impartial when friends were involved, especially when the situation looked bleak. Despite her feelings of sadness, however, she knew she had to remain professional for the sake of Jack and his team, as well as her own.

"Daniel, we need to…"

"Go…Right." He gave Jack's hand a final squeeze and settled it back at his side. Teal'c momentarily rested a hand on Jack's shoulder and Hammond bid him good luck. With a nod from Janet, the nurses resumed guiding the bed down the hall, around the corner, and out of sight.

"How long do you expect the MRI to take?" Hammond asked.

"Not long. An hour at the most."

"Would you let me know what you find out before you leave?"

"Certainly, sir. I can do that."

"I'd appreciate it." Sighing deeply, the general turned to the two members of SG-1. "I know this is difficult for you both. It's hard to see someone you care for in a situation like this. I've done it many times over the years and it still bothers me as much today as it did the first time it happened." He offered them a sympathetic smile. "Try to get some rest, gentlemen. Perhaps tomorrow will be a better day." With a nod to Janet, Hammond parted from the small group and headed back toward his office.

For a moment, the others just stood and listened to his fading footsteps echoing through the hall. Daniel finally broke the silence, his voice sounding loud in the quiet passageway.

"Can Teal'c and I wait here until he comes back? We can sit with him if…"

The doctor shook her head. "No, not tonight. It's getting late, and the colonel needs to rest, as do both of you. I'm going to assign a nurse to him, so you don't have to worry about him being alone," she assured them. "Now Dr. Champney will be here in the morning as I've volunteered to help out with Field Day tomorrow at Cassie's school. It's the last day of classes, and her teacher wanted to something fun for the kids. I'll be in to work the overnight with Dr. Warner, but I'll make sure Dr. Champney knows short visits with the colonel are all right as long as he's stable."

"Should we not alert Major Carter of O'Neill's worsening condition?" Teal'c asked.

"That's something else we need to talk about actually..."

"What? You mean we can't visit Sam either? Janet…"

She held up her hand to silence Daniel's argument and motioned the two men to follow her down the hall. "I want you to let Sam rest tonight. Although she's not as sick as the colonel, she still has an infection. She's been running a fever and sleep is what she needs the most of right now." Based on their expressions, Janet could tell neither Daniel nor Teal'c were very happy with her decision. Being such a closely-knit team, it was difficult for them to be denied access to their friends, especially during times of need.

"Listen, I know you're both frustrated, afraid, and worried about your friends. I am too, and so is the general. We all care about the colonel and Sam, and we all want them to get better. There's a good chance that will happen, but we need to give them the opportunity to heal first. Allowing them to rest now will greatly better their chances at a full recovery – especially the colonel." She brought the small group to a stop just outside the radiology lab. "You'll be able to see them both again soon – just not tonight. Okay?"

Teal'c accepted her explanation with a bow of his head. Daniel seemed a bit more reserved, but he nodded just the same.

"Good. I'm glad you understand. This is tough, I know, but you've got to trust me." She reached for the doorknob. "I'll probably be here another couples of hours if either of you need to talk. Otherwise I'll be in sometime early tomorrow evening after I drop Cassie off at her friend's house."

"I think we'll be all right, Janet," Daniel replied. "Thanks for letting us see Jack."

"Sure. Now go get some rest, both of you. It's been a long day, and I need you guys to be in fighting form for tomorrow."

The two men exchanged confused looks. "What's tomorrow?"

"Well, since I'm not going to be here, I need someone to keep an eye on Sam. I've given her a strict 'no work' order, and I'm counting on you two to make sure she sticks to it."

"I believe we can ensure your orders are followed, Doctor Fraiser," Teal'c replied. "Major Carter will not be permitted to do work of any kind."

Janet smiled. She knew if anyone would take her orders as verbatim, it would be Teal'c. "Terrific." She pushed open the door. "Have a good night, gentlemen. I'll see you tomorrow."

Daniel gave her a small wave and then both men turned and headed toward the elevator. Janet watched as they went, wishing there was more she could say to ease their worries and concerns. She could almost guarantee Sam's recovery, but Jack's fate was still up in the air. Regardless of the MRI results, she knew he was in a bad place; it was just a matter of how bad and whether he would recover or continue to slowly slip away from them.

_For all of the joy and excitement working in the medical field can bring…_ she thought as she stepped into the equipment laden radiology lab. _This is one of those times when being a doctor can really suck…_

* * *

><p>Janet muffled a weary yawn as she stepped into the elevator and keyed in her destination. She was worn out from a day in the sun chasing soccer balls, dodging water balloons, and mending the occasional scraped knee. Field Day and the subsequent barbeque had been a huge success with the students at Cassie's school and had served as the perfect way to close out the year.<p>

The elevator came to a gradual stop and opened its doors on Level 21. Janet stepped out and headed towards the infirmary, bidding goodnight to several other officers as they passed by. She stopped by the main ward to collect a few items and check in with Dr. Warner. With shift assignments handed out to the staff and new patients looked in on, she was able to shift her focus to her main concern: Colonel O'Neill.

As she made her way down to where the private rooms were located, her thoughts drifted back to the unsettling events of the previous day. She hadn't been pleased with the results of his MRI, but she hadn't been surprised either. The scan confirmed that his coughing had re-broken four of the six rib fractures along his right side. Luckily, the internal stabilizer Warner had put in after the accident held the broken segments in place and prevented another, undoubtedly deadly case of flail chest from occurring.

The scan had also shown the poor condition of Jack's lungs. Both were clouded with fluid caused by the pneumonia, making it clear to see why he was having such a difficult time breathing. It was his right lung, however, that had drawn most concern with its dark patches of shadowing. He'd shown similar mottling after the accident, but it had been improving when his new symptoms began. The concussive force of his coughing had reopened the internal sores and caused the bleeding and bruising to return.

Janet knew the colonel's situation wasn't good. Stubborn determination could only take a person so far, especially when their body was waging war against an infection. Toss in a couple of broken ribs, sore lungs, and a weakened immune system, and you had yourself a recipe for a potential disaster. _And not to mention a devastating loss…_

The doctor sighed as she rounded the corner leading to Jack's private room. She found Captain Tomas seated outside the partially open door, a thick novel in her hands. "Good evening, Captain."

"Dr. Fraiser," Tomas greeted as she set her book aside. "How was Field Day?"

"It was great," Janet replied. "I broke a few nails playing Frisbee and was bombarded by ice cold water balloons, but it was still a lot of fun. Cassie was so worn out she was practically asleep when I dropped her off at her friend's house on the way in. All that fresh air and exercise is good for her though. How have things been around here?"

Tomas's smile faded as she leaned over to grab Jack's chart and held it out for the doctor to take. "Quiet. Uncomfortably so."

Janet took a moment to read down through the new notes left by Dr. Champney. "Has the colonel been sleeping a lot?"

"He's been out for most of the day," Tomas replied. "It's probably the best thing for him. The poor man is absolutely miserable when he's awake. We've been trying to keep his fever down, but it's being rather persistent. At least it's not getting any worse."

"How's his coughing been?"

"Constant. He's been sleeping through most of it, but every couple of hours he'll wake up during a nasty spell. He's short of breath for about fifteen minutes afterwards, and the pain from his ribs is obvious."

"I saw Dr. Champney increased his pain medication." It wasn't a promising sign. "How about blood? Is he coughing it up still?"

Tomas nodded. "A little, usually during the worst bouts. Most of it's clotted though. Dr. Champney said the sores in his lungs were likely starting to close up."

"It'd be a relief if they did," Janet remarked. "Has his team been down at all?"

"Dr. Jackson and Teal'c have been in and out all day. They were good and kept their visits short. The colonel was usually asleep anyway and they didn't want to disturb him."

"What about Major Carter?"

"She came down a couple of hours ago."

"Good. I was hoping she'd get out for a while. How did she look?"

"A little pale, but she seemed to be all right."

"How about when she left? Did she seem upset?" Janet saw an odd expression flicker across Tomas's face. "Captain?"

"She…" Tomas glanced over her shoulder through the partly open door and lowered her voice. "She hasn't left."

"She's still here?"

"I'm sorry, Dr. Fraiser. Dr. Champney told me to limit visits to no more than a few minutes, but I thought…"

Janet shook her head. "It's okay, captain. I knew one of them would weasel in sooner or later; I just didn't want the whole team converging on him at once. It's probably doing them both some good anyway. I spoke to Daniel on the phone this morning and he said she was shaken when she found out about what happened last night."

"The last time I looked in on them, they were both asleep. Major Carter didn't look very comfortable, but I didn't want to wake her up."

"I'm heading in to give the colonel his next dose of antibiotics, so I'll check on her," she said, closing the chart and tucking it under her arm. "Thanks for keeping an eye on things today. It sure makes my job a whole lot easier."

Tomas smiled. "Anytime, ma'am," she replied and returned to her reading.

Being as quiet as she could, Janet let herself into the small room and closed the door behind her. She smiled when she saw Sam slouched over in a chair beside the bed, a magazine splayed open in her lap. Her position looked decisively uncomfortable with her head lolled forward and one leg tucked awkwardly beneath her. There was no doubt she'd be sore when she finally woke up, but for now she was too deeply asleep to be disturbed by her contortions.

Leaving her friend to rest, Janet went to check on the colonel. Like Sam he was asleep, but nowhere near as relaxed. Even in the low light, she could see he was feverish and unnaturally pale. His breathing was labored, and she didn't need a stethoscope to hear the crackly wheeze of fluid coming from his lungs.

Janet sighed as she reached into her pocket and withdrew the syringe that held his next dose of antibiotics. She had to wonder if they were even doing any good. It had been over 36 hours since she'd switched his medication, and he still hadn't shown any signs of improvement.

_But there haven't been any signs of deterioration, either…_ She tried to dismiss this notion as wishful thinking, but it refused to go away. _His difficulties last night were caused by his injuries, not because the pneumonia is getting worse… _

She thought back over what she'd read in his file, particularly the chart containing his vital information. His numbers were certainly irregular, but they'd been steady across the board since early that morning – about 18 hours after his first dose of the new antibiotic. If his condition were still worsening, she would have expected his vitals to fluctuate considerably as his system struggled to regulate itself.

Janet looked down at the sleeping colonel. Although she wasn't fond of the cliché, Jack had definitely reached the critical hour. His condition was poised to swing either way. It was just a matter of his flagging immune system holding back the pneumonia a little bit longer so the drugs could finish their work.

She slid the syringe into the IV catheter taped to the back of Jack's hand and slowly depressed the plunger. The man groaned and twitched his fingers as the cold fluid entered his overheated body.

"It's okay, colonel," Janet said quietly. "This is going to help you feel better. You just have to hang on for a little longer, and then it will all be over." _One way or another…_

She chided herself mentally for allowing such a thought, but she knew it was the truth. She'd been here many times before, watching as a critically ill person wavered between recovery and death. She had seen patients with a promising outlook suddenly fail and those who were thought to have no chance survive. This was where the science of medicine became a twisted game of chance in which one wrong move could cause the player's game to end. Permanently.

With the medication given, Janet dampened a cloth at the sink and used it to gently wipe the perspiration from Jack's face. She considered moving him back to the critical care ward, but dismissed the idea as quickly as it came. Unless he suddenly took a turn for the worst, there really wasn't anything more that could be done for him over there that wasn't already being done now. She also feared the stress of the move could send him headlong into the deadly decline they'd been trying so hard to avoid.

Satisfied that she had made Jack as comfortable as possible, the doctor returned to check on her sleeping friend. Sam hadn't moved from her awkward position in the chair. If anything, she had curled up even more. "Sam?" Janet whispered, lightly tapping her on the knee. "Sam? Come on now, it's time to wake up."

Sam woke up in such a rush that Janet nearly leapt out of her skin. "Colonel?" Still half asleep and unaware of her cramped limbs, she clambered to his bedside and searched wildly for what had woken her. "Sir?"

"Sam, it's okay, it's just me."

The bewildered major turned and looked at her, her eyes still glazed with sleep. "Janet?" she uttered. "The colonel…"

"He's all right, Sam. He's asleep."

Sam looked back to her commanding officer as if to verify her friend's words. He looked far from all right, but he was definitely asleep. As her panic subsided and the adrenaline rush faded, she gradually became aware of her own pain – and not just the deep throb coming from her injured hand either.

Janet saw the change in her friend's expression. "Sam? Are you okay?"

"My right leg is asleep…bad."

"Well, you weren't sleeping in the most comfortable position."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked. "I…I was asleep?"

"Mm-hmm. For quite a while too, according to Captain Tomas."

Sam frowned. "I guess I'm more tired than I thought," she replied, unable to recall falling asleep or even feeling drowsy. "I just came down to see how the colonel was doing and walked in on one of his coughing spells. The nurse asked me for help, so I used a pillow to support his broken ribs. It was awful, Janet. By the time it ended, he was exhausted and his breathing sounded terrible. And the blood…" Sam closed her eyes, remembering the darkened blood that spotted the tissues the nurse had used to clean his mouth. It was suddenly too much for her to bear.

"Sam?" Janet placed a hand on her back and felt the light tremor that was going through her body. "Sam, it's okay."

"No it's not," she uttered, her voice wavering. "It's not okay. He's…he's…"

"Shh…" Even in the dim lighting, Janet could see she was deeply upset. Taking Sam by the arm, she led her to the front of the room where they could talk without disturbing Jack. "Sam…"

"I'm sorry, Janet. It's just he was doing good and now he's so sick." She stopped and sniffed, fighting hard to keep her emotions in check. "This is all my…"

"Ah!" Janet dug her fingernails into Sam's arm to get her attention. "Don't you dare say it, Sam," she whispered sharply. "We've been down this road before, and you know as well as I do that the colonel _does not_ want to see you slipping backwards."

"But, Janet…"

"No buts, Sam. Not this time. This wasn't your fault – none of it was. And until you can fully accept that, you're just going to keep hurting yourself and the colonel too." When Sam looked up at her with wide eyes, she knew she'd struck a nerve. "He's in a delicate state right now. It's important that he feels good energy, not guilt and sorrow."

"It's just hard…"

"I know it is, but we'll get through it, just like we did before," Janet assured her. "We're all fighting for him, but we also have to fight _with_ him. He needs to be encouraged to hang on and fight, especially now when it would be so much easier just to let go. He doesn't need you to feel sad for him, Sam. He needs you to be strong."

Sam sniffed and wiped the moisture from her eyes. What Janet was saying made perfect sense, but it was difficult to put her words into practice. _If I just hadn't picked up that damned stone…_

"There's something else you need to remember as well," the doctor said, interrupting her thoughts.

"What's that?"

"You're sick too, and your emotions are apt to be all over the place." Janet saw the doubtful look cross the other woman's face. "It's true. You're fighting an infection. Add to that being tired, stressed out, and worried. You're probably not eating well and you're certainly not getting the amount of exercise you're used to. It's enough to make anyone feel out of sorts. Have you been taking it easy like you were told?"

"I haven't had a choice. Teal'c's practically been following me around since I got up this morning, scrutinizing everything I do. He wouldn't even let me carry my own tray at breakfast or get a book from my lab without him coming along. I mean it's bad enough General Hammond postponed the MALP upgrade for a week; I don't need a babysitter too."

Janet reached out and took her friend's hand. "He just cares about you, Sam. We all do. We want to see you get better, and you can't do that if you don't slow down and give your body the time it needs to heal. Now I know you're eager to get back to work and normality, but I also know you're using it as a distraction from what's going on with the colonel. It's not healthy to do that, especially when you're sick. And if you keep it up, you're going to work yourself right into a bed in the infirmary. You don't want that, do you?"

Sam shook her head. That was last place she wanted to wind up. "So what do I do?"

"When was the last time you ate something?"

"This morning. The guys tried to get me to eat lunch, but I wasn't hungry."

"I suppose you skipped your midday dose of medication too?"

"No…I took it with some milk."

_I guess that's better than nothing…_ The doctor thought with a sigh. "How's your hand feel?"

"It hurts," Sam admitted quietly. "It's nothing I can't deal with though."

"I'm sure you can, but I think we should take care of it anyway. Do you want to see the colonel again while I speak to Captain Tomas?"

Sam nodded and hobbled back over to Jack's side, her leg still weak from the way she'd slept on it. Placing her hand on her superior's arm, she took in his poor state and felt her chest start to tighten. _No!_ She told herself firmly. _No more crying. Janet said I need to stay positive, to give him strength and encouragement, and not guilt. But how do you find something positive at a time like this? _

She searched his face, looking for something – anything – to lift her spirits enough to give Jack the support he deserved. When she failed to find the inspiration she needed, Sam moved her hand down to his chest and focused on the one thing that could give her comfort: his beating heart. Feeling its slow, steady rhythm beneath her hand, she was reassured that he was still very much alive. As long as he was alive, she knew there was a chance he'd pull through. And that chance, she decided, was something to be optimistic about.

"You have to keep fighting, sir," she said quietly. "I…we need you out there. We still have Goa'uld to catch, people to free, and really cool space guns to find. You're important to us, colonel, and not just as our leader. You're a friend, a confidant, and a source of strength for us all. You can't let the pneumonia win. I know you can beat it; you just have to hang in there a little longer. Don't give up on us, colonel. Please."

Releasing a shaky sigh, Sam gave Jack's hand a final squeeze before joining Janet and Captain Tomas at the door.

"Well said," the doctor told her.

"I just hope he heard me."

"I think he did, in his own way."

"I-I don't want to leave him."

"I know you don't, but you need to get some rest," Janet insisted. "He won't be alone. I'm going to sit with him tonight."

"And with Dr. Fraiser around, you know the colonel will be in good hands," Tomas added with a supportive smile.

"But if something happens…"

"You and the others will be among the first to know," the doctor assured her. "Now, come on. Captain Tomas is going to take you over to the infirmary to clean and rewrap your hand. She's also going to make sure you eat a decent meal and take your pain medication."

Lacking the energy to argue, Sam merely accepted her fate with a nod. Casting an uneasy glance over her shoulder at Jack, she reluctantly turned and followed the young nurse toward the main ward of the infirmary.

Janet watched as the two women disappeared around the corner. She'd been tempted to let Sam stay, but she knew sending her away was best. She needed to rest properly, and if the colonel suddenly took a turn for the worst, it was better that she not be there to see it. Not allowing herself to dwell on the unsettling – albeit realistic – thoughts of Jack getting worse, Janet stepped back into the room and shut the door behind her.

It was going to be a difficult night.


	11. Chapter 11

_A sharp caw from overhead made Sam stop and look up. Several dozen black birds were peppered throughout the branches of the forest canopy, their beady eyes seeming to follow her every move. One of them cawed again, and this time some of its flock mates echoed its cry. She watched as they bounced effortlessly from branch to branch, as if vying for the best view of the intruder. _

_One bird flew down and landed on a dead tree limb near where she stood. It cocked its head at her and ruffled its onyx feathers. Although she thought the bird was beautiful, Sam found its scrutinizing stare to be unnerving. She turned away and hurried quickly down the trail to catch up with Jack. _

"_Everything all right, Major?" He tried to look at her over his shoulder, but the bulky rucksack he was carrying prevented it. _

"_Yes sir. I was just looking at a bird," she replied. /Actually, it was more like the bird was looking at me…or through me…/_

"_There sure are enough of them around. We should be calling this place something like 'Plant Big Bird' instead of P4…" He made a vague gesture with his hand. "Whatever."_

_Sam smiled. She wanted to help him by providing the planet's correct designation code, but she found that it had oddly slipped her mind as well. " 'Planet Big Bird,' sir?"_

"_Sure. Why not? I mean it's a big planet and its got lots of birds on it, so…Planet Big Bird."_

"_I'll be sure to use it in my official report," she said with a chuckle. _

_The two fell into companionable silence as they made their way through the alien woods. They were trying to catch up with Janet, who had gone on ahead when they'd stopped to collect a rock sample. The petite doctor was enjoying her reprieve from tending the infirmary, and Jack had given her ample opportunity to explore. _

_As they walked, Sam took the chance to look around at their surroundings. Although most of the forest was choked with years of over growth, it was still pleasant to look at. Most impressive was the mountainside they'd been following, the solid gray rock accented with spidery veins of mica and gold. As she continued to look around, a strange sense of déjà vu began to form in the back of her mind. She considered asking the colonel if he was feeling the same way, but she was pretty sure she already knew what his response would be: 'You've seen one woodsy planet, you've seen them all.'_

_They found Janet a few minutes later at the back of a deep alcove recessed into the side of the mountain. She was kneeling down and looking at something hidden in the tall grass. _

"_Hey, doc! Whatcha find?" _

"_I think it's a Goa'uld, sir," Janet called back. "Or at least it was at one time."_

_The two teammates looked at one another. Jack shrugged. "A dead Goa'uld? Sweet." He started toward her through the long grass. _

_Sam followed, but only managed to take a few steps before the feeling of déjà vu slammed into her like a brick wall. /Oh my god…/ she thought, looking at her surroundings through wide eyes. She recognized it all: the trees, the bushes, the way the mountain curved to form two sides of the alcove – it was exactly the same as before. /This can't be real. There's no way this can really be P4J-592. What are we doing here? Why did we come back?/_

_She looked over at her friends, waiting for them to sense that something was wrong, but neither of them did. Both Jack and Janet were looking down at what she presumed to be the body of Menoetius like they'd never seen it before. Sam shook her head in disbelief. This just couldn't be happening._

_/There must have been a gate malfunction or a time distortion or a…/ Try as she might, she just couldn't rationalize how or why they were back at the scene of the accident that had nearly taken Jack's life. /And it still may…/ she thought, although she had no clue where the idea came from._

_Feeling confused and more than a little spooked, Sam made her way over to the others. Just like before, the badly weathered skeleton of Menoetius lay in tall grass, his bones swathed in dark red clothing. _

"_The material is so soft," Janet remarked, rubbing a corner of the fabric between her fingers. "And it looks like hand stitching too. I'm surprised it's held up as well as it has."_

"_So the guy's a snappy dresser. What makes you think he's a snake?" Jack asked._

_The doctor flipped the loose fabric away from the skeleton's neck to reveal the remains of a Goa'uld symbiote._

_Jack took a quick step back, not fond of the snake-like creatures even when they were reduced to brittle bones. "Damn." _

"_I found some more Jaffa too." Janet stood and wiped the dried mud from her hands. "And judging from the trauma to their bones, I'd have to say their death was extremely violent." _

"_The Goa'uld aren't exactly known for doing things subtly," Jack muttered with a sigh. "You'd better show me. Carter, check this guy out. See if you can find anything that might give us a clue as to who he is." _

_/I already know who he is…Menoetius. Daniel and Teal'c figured it out the last time we were here.../ Sam thought as she watched her friends walk back towards the front of the alcove. She didn't dare say that out loud, though. Not yet anyway. She wanted to try and figure out what was going on before she gave them the grounds to think she was losing her mind. /Even though I probably am…/ _

_She knelt down beside the skeleton and began to explore half-heartedly through the grass. Part of her wanted nothing to do with searching the carcass of a Goa'uld, but another part was wondering if the ma'krell stone would even be there. If she remembered correctly, Daniel had accidentally thrown it quite far when she'd shouted at him for picking it up. /If that's the case, than the stone won't be in the same place I found the first time. It'll still be where ever it landed when Daniel threw it…/_

_Holding her breath, Sam parted the grass by Menoetius' hand. The round, red gem was there, just as it had been before. Either someone had moved it since their last visit, or… /…or there's something *really* crazy going on around here…/ Frankly she didn't like either option, but why would someone physically move the stone back by the skeleton? It just didn't make sense. /Not that any of this does…at least I know not to touch it this time…/ _

_She started to cover the stone back over with grass, but her right hand seemed to have its own ideas. Despite her best efforts to resist, Sam watched as her hand reached down and grasped the stone, her fingers pressing it firmly against her palm. Its cool, polished surface began to heat up almost instantly. /No…/ she thought, unable to accept what was going on. /No…this isn't real. This can't be happening…/_

"_Find something, Carter?" _

_She jumped when Jack suddenly appeared beside her. Unsure of what she could say that would make him believe her, Sam just shook her head and clutched her right hand to her chest._

_He cocked an eyebrow. "Are you sure?" _

"_No sir…I mean *yes* sir." _

"_Carter, are you okay? You've been acting a little strange." _

"_I'm fine, colonel. I just think you…we…we all should leave here. Now." The stone was getting hot and she could feel it starting to burn her skin. "Please, sir."_

"_What's gotten into you?" he asked, his tone hovering between being concerned and annoyed. _

"_Nothing. It's just…I…" As the heat from the stone became unbearable, Sam realized she couldn't contain the energy that was building up in its core any longer. She tried to turn away, intending to direct the worst of the blast away from Jack, but she was too slow. The powerful flare struck him square in the chest and hurled him violently against the solid face of the mountain. _

"_No!" Sam cried as the horrible sound of his body colliding with stone reached her ears. She hardly even noticed the bad burn on her hand, let alone the fact that she was still standing. "No! Not again!" She ran over to where he lay in a crumpled heap on the ground. His vest was still smoking and she could smell the distinct odor of burnt flesh and coppery blood in the air. "Colonel? Colonel!"_

_She saw movement out of the corner of her eye and looked to see Janet hurrying over to investigate. She appeared unharmed by the effects of the blast, something Sam was able to take some relief in. "Janet…I…the colonel…I didn't mean…"_

_Ignoring her friend's rambling, Janet knelt down beside Jack and pressed her fingers against his neck. There was no throbbing pulse beneath her touch. Jack was dead. "You killed him."_

"_What?" _

"_I said, you *killed* him," Janet replied, her voice cold. _

_Sam felt her heart plummet to the ground. "Oh no…no. Oh my god…I couldn't have…I didn't mean to! It was an accident! I didn't know…"_

"_An accident? You call this an accident?" _

"_I didn't know what it was! I swear!" Sam felt numb. This couldn't be happening. Jack couldn't be dead. "I didn't know it was a Goa'uld weapon. I thought it was a rock the first time. And then this time I…"_

_Janet's gaze narrowed. "What? You knew that thing was a Goa'uld weapon and you picked it up anyway?" she demanded, pointing to the red stone at her feet. _

"_The *first* time. I didn't know what it was the first time. I didn't want to touch it this time, but I couldn't help myself. Something made me do it. I swear to god, I never meant to hurt him!" Tears streamed down her face and her body shook as she tried to contain her sobs. "Please believe me, Janet. Something weird is going on. I don't know what…"_

"_Major Samantha Carter."_

_A familiar voice prompted Sam to turn away from the sight of her dead CO. As she did, the forest dissolved and she found herself standing in Hammond's office back at the SGC. _

"_General…" Sam was in shock, her mind reeling with feelings of fear, sadness, and bewilderment. "What's happening? How did I get…"_

"_Do you acknowledge that you negligent actions lead to the death of your commanding officer, Colonel Jack O'Neill?" he demanded. _

"_Negligent actions? Sir, I didn't know…"_

"_Don't waste my time trying to deny it, Major. I've already read Dr. Fraiser's report. It clearly states that you knowingly picked up a Goa'uld weapon and turned it on the colonel."_

"_But sir, I couldn't help myself. Something…some unknown force made me pick up the ma'krell stone again," she explained tearfully. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but that's what really happened! I tried to resist..."_

_Hammond glared at her from behind his desk. "How do you know the name of this weapon?"_

"_Teal'c told me what it was the first time we went to the planet. That was when I…"_

"_Major, yesterday was the first time anyone from this facility has ever set foot on P4J-592."_

_Sam shook her head in disbelief. /This isn't happening…this can't be happening…/ "We've been there before. I know we have. I remember it so clearly."_

_Hammond favored her with a look that was somewhere between pity and disgust. "Dr. Fraiser said you might experience some memory lag due to the emotional shock. She also said it might be part of the denial process." _

"_Denial process? Sir, it was an accident. Please believe me."_

"_I personally don't see how, but then again I'm not the one you need to convince."_

"_Sir?"_

_The general beckoned the guards that had been standing outside the door into his office. "Major Samantha Carter, because you negligently handled and discharged a known alien weapon, you are officially being charged with the death of Colonel Jack O'Neill."_

"_Charged?" Sam didn't mean to shout, but this was absurd. "No! General, please!"_

_Hammond nodded to the guards. "Take her to a holding cell, gentlemen. She'll be escorted to a more secure facility within the next few days."_

_The two MP's seized her arms and brought them roughly behind her back. Her burned hand flared painfully as they snapped a pair of cuffs around her wrists and began pulling her toward the exit. "General! Wait!"_

_But Hammond was gone, and his office was too. Sam found herself being half dragged down the dark corridor that led to the base's holding cells. There were people lined up against the walls, most of whom she recognized as fellow soldiers or other SGC personnel. No one spoke as she passed. Most just glared coldly or adverted their eyes altogether. Daniel and Teal'c were among the people standing in the hall. When she came to them, the guards stopped and Sam tried one final time to be heard._

"_Daniel, Teal'c, please don't let them do this. You both said it was an accident when it happened the first time. This time, I don't exactly know what happened, but I didn't do this on purpose! Please talk to the general. Make him under…"_

_Teal'c looked straight at her, accusation in his eyes. "How could you have brought such harm to O'Neill?" he asked harshly. _

"_But Teal'c, I…"_

"_You knew what it was, Sam," Daniel said. "Why did you have to touch it?"_

"_I had no choice," Sam insisted. "Something made me…"_

"_That's a poor excuse, Sam. I thought you were better then that," Daniel uttered and turned his gaze away. "We all did." _

_The guards began to pull her forward once again. "No!" Sam shouted, fighting against her bonds. "No! There's been a mistake! Something weird is going on. I didn't kill the colonel on purpose! Please!"_

_As the guards tightened their grip against her struggles, she fought harder, kicking out and trying to get away. "No! Let me go! There's been a mistake! Please! Noooo...!"_

* * *

><p>"Sam? Sam! Wake up. Come on, Sam, open your eyes…" Daniel was perched on the edge of Sam's bed, trying desperately to get his panicked friend to wake up. Struggling to stay out of the way of her thrashing feet, he took her by the shoulders and gave her a firm shake. "Sam! Wake up!"<p>

She sat up like a shot. "I didn't mean to do it! I swear! Please! Let me go!"

Her eyes were open and wide, but he could tell she wasn't seeing him. "Sam! It's all right! It's me! It's Daniel." He shook her again lightly, trying to get her to come around completely. "Come on, Sam. Wake up."

Recognition slowly appeared on her ghostly pale face. "Daniel?" she asked, her voice low and uncertain.

"Yeah, Sam. It's me," he replied, not liking the haunted look in her eyes. "You're all right. You were just dreaming."

"Dreaming?" She looked around the room as if to prove to herself that he wasn't lying. There were no bars, blank walls, or security cameras in sight. "This…this isn't a holding cell…"

Daniel's eyebrows rose. "A holding cell? No, you're in your on base quarters. Why would you be in a holding cell?"

"Because I…the colonel…is he…is he dead?"

"Is Jack dead? No, no he's alive. He's sick, but he's still very much alive." He watched as she slowly processed the information he'd just given her. "Is…is that what your dream was about? Jack dying?"

His question prompted a vivid image to flash into Sam's mind. For one fleeting moment, she was back on the planet looking down at Jack's lifeless body, the smoking gemstone still stuck to her hand. "Oh god, Daniel," she uttered quietly. "It was terrible. I killed him. It was an accident, but no one would believe me."

Daniel slid over to sit beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She felt unnaturally warm against him, and he wondered if she was still running a fever. "What happened?" He listened intently as his friend recounted her dream. She spared him no detail and it quickly became obvious why she was so upset. Sam didn't get upset that often, and when she did, it meant she was truly distraught.

"And that's when you woke me up," she concluded a few minutes later.

At first, Daniel didn't know what to say. The old stand by adage "it was only a dream" just didn't seem appropriate. He tightened his grip around her shoulders and held her close. "I would _never_ say anything like that to you," he said at last. "And neither would Teal'c."

"I know," she sniffed. He offered her a tissue and she accepted it with a nod of thanks. "I'm sorry I'm being such a baby about this, Daniel. Janet says it's because I'm still sick, but I don't…"

"There's no need to apologize, Sam. If I had a dream like that, I'd be really upset too." She gave him a doubtful look. "I'm serious. I still have dreams about my parents dying that leave me feeling out of sorts for days."

"But you were just a child when that happened. It wasn't your fault."

"And what happened to Jack wasn't your fault either."

Sam sighed and toyed with the crumpled tissue in her hand. "I thought I'd finally accepted that, but I guess I haven't."

"I think you have," Daniel replied. "At least subconsciously."

She shook her head. She was still too upset to understand Daniel's train of thought. "What does that mean?"

"It means that when faced with an accusation, you were able to refute it. I don't think that's something you would have done a few weeks ago – even in a dream."

_He's right…_ she thought. _I would have just accepted the accusation for what it was and taken the punishment because I thought I deserved it…_ "But if I've accepted the accident, why did I have such a horrible dream?"

The archeologist shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it's because you're over tired, upset, and worried about Jack. Or maybe it was your mind's way of telling you that you're finally starting to heal."

Sam snorted. "It was one hell of a way to do it."

He grinned and hugged her tight. "Well, you don't like to mess around with extraneous things, so why should your sub-consciousness?"

"I guess," she muttered, leaning against his shoulder. It was difficult to think of the nightmare as her mind's way of telling her of her gradual acceptance, but she wasn't about to dismiss it entirely. Not until she gave it some serious thought, anyway. "So when will I know?"

"Know what?"

"When I've fully accepted all this?"

"I suppose it's when the bad dreams and feelings of guilt go away – if they ever completely do. I've always felt that the big stuff, the events that change our lives, stay with us forever. We learn to deal with it and then lock it away in the back of our minds until some part of us decides that it's time for us to face it again. And when that happens, we use whatever coping skills we've learned since the last time to put it back to rest. Hopefully for good."

Sam looked up at him with surprise in her eyes. She knew the man was articulate, but like Jack, he still had the ability to surprise her on occasion. "That's…"

"A load of garbage, I know," he interrupted.

"No, not at all," she insisted. "It was…well…kind of nice."

"Really?"

She nodded. "The colonel said something like that too."

"Then _believe_ him, Sam. If anyone knows about acceptance and dealing with guilt, it's Jack. I mean we've all suffered loss in our lives, but Jack…he's had more than his fair share," Daniel said, thinking how much Jack had changed since the first day he'd met him. "The fact that he enjoys life so much despite the pain and guilt in his past just shows how resilient we can be."

He could tell Sam was thinking just by the look on her face. She had calmed down significantly since he'd woken her from her dream – her shaking had stopped and most of the color had returned to her face. She also seemed to be processing things more rationally too.

Shaking her head, Sam rubbed the gritty feeling from her eyes with the heel of her hand. "Only you."

"Only me, what?" Daniel asked, detecting the ghost of a smile on her lips.

"Only you could take something as terrible as a nightmare, put a positive twist on it, and say it's our subconscious mind's way of sending us messages."

He shrugged. "Dreaming is just another form of communication. But instead of a conversation between two people, it's between one's own subconscious and conscious. It's all open to interpretation, of course. I had a friend in college that…oomph!" Daniel's tangent was cut off as Sam enveloped him in a hug.

"Thank you," she said, squeezing him with all her might.

"Anytime," he replied, returning the embrace. Her skin felt cooler now, and his fears of a fever diminished. When she at last loosened her grip, Daniel held her by the shoulders and looked her in the eye. "Are you going to be okay?"

Sam sighed and nodded her head. "I think so. I mean I'm still a little freaked out from the dream, but I can deal with that." She looked at the wall clock – it was just past eleven. "I suppose it's too early for breakfast."

"Probably," he said, standing up from the bed. "Do you want me to stay for a while? I can sack out in a chair or…"

"No, I'm all right. Just a little anxious about a repeat performance, that's all."

Daniel knelt down to gather several scattered folders and books from the floor. "Well, you have good reason to be. When I first tried to wake you up, I nearly got kicked."

Sam ducked her head. "Sorry about that. I think I was fighting with some guards. By the way, how did you know I was dreaming?"

"I was heading to bed myself when I heard you shouting through the door. You seemed to be pretty upset, so I thought it was best to wake you up."

"I appreciate it."

"You bet." Daniel opened the door. "If you need anything, just give a shout."

"Thanks."

"Good night, Sam."

"Night, Daniel."

The door closed and latched. Sam was alone. She was reluctant to go back to sleep, afraid of being cast back into the world where Jack had died by her own hand and no one believed her claims of an accident. She considered staying up for awhile and reading, but her exhausted body had its own ideas. Yawning loudly, she knew that even her fears of a repeat nightmare wouldn't be enough to keep her awake for long. She switched off the light and crawled back under the covers. She still felt 'out of sorts' as Daniel had called it, but it wasn't as bad as when she'd first woken up. After experiencing such a fright, she suspected it would last for some time.

Sam stared up into the darkness. Her thoughts drifted to Jack, and her longing to be at his side. She knew Daniel and Teal'c wanted to be with him as well, their bond as teammates and friends drawing them close. They knew Jack was in good hands; with Janet watching over him herself, there wasn't a better place he could be. It was the instinctual need to support their friend that both fueled their desire and caused frustration when they had to stay away.

_It's also the best way to know he's still with us…_

She growled at herself in annoyance and rolled over to face the wall. Thinking like that wasn't going to help her situation any. Sam closed her eyes and tried to focus her thoughts on something positive. Oddly enough, the image that formed in her mind was of Jack's yellow yo-yo with the goofy face. She smiled. _It's just so like him to carry something like that around with him…_

A couple of minutes later, she felt herself beginning to drift. In her last few moments of consciousness, Sam said a silent prayer, wishing for Jack to recover and for her own dreams to be kind.

* * *

><p>Janet was in the middle of reviewing a stack of post mission exam reports when she first noticed the change in Jack's breathing. The quiet, steady wheeze she'd been listening to for most of the evening had grown shallow and raspy. He coughed occasionally, but it was unproductive, and only served to painfully jar his broken ribs. To help ease some of his symptoms, Janet had raised the head of his bed and increased the flow of oxygen feeding into his mask. The change it made was minimal, but he'd reached the point where any improvement was a small miracle.<p>

She'd gone back to her files for a short time before a choked gasp had her returning to his side. "Colonel?

Jack groaned and moved restlessly under her touch. There was pressure building in his chest. Even in his semiconscious state he knew exactly what was coming. He tried to fight the tingling sensation at the back of his throat, but it was no use. He began to cough, and was soon unable to stop. His broken ribs flared with pain, and it became impossible to take an adequate breath.

"Easy, sir." As much as she wanted to help, Janet knew there was little she could do for him beyond supporting his ribs and holding his hand. She could tell he was weakening fast; too many more episodes like this and she feared they'd lose him completely. She glanced over her shoulder at the resuscitation equipment lined up against the wall. Its presence was reassuring, but she hoped she wouldn't have to use it.

The colonel's coughing abruptly deepened, and she could hear the fluid in his lungs starting to break up. She knew the deeper coughs were more painful for him, but the croupy bark was like music to her ears. It was a definite sign that the antibiotics were working – they finally had the pneumonia on the run.

Jack's cough deepened further and he began to bring up the fluid that was clogging his lungs. Janet retrieved the portable suction unit and used it to keep his throat and mouth clear. She spoke quietly, trying to soothe and encourage him at the same time. When the coughing spell ended several minutes later, Jack lay completely still. His breathing was short and ragged, but it lacked much of the crackling wheeze that it'd had before. Janet repositioned his oxygen mask and used a damp cloth to clean the sweat from his face.

"I know that was painful, sir, but you did good." Jack surprised her by opening his eyes. "Hey, colonel. How are you doing?"

"Can't…"

Janet could barely make out the single word he uttered through the mask. "You can't what?"

Jack closed his eyes for a moment, needing to gather his fading strength enough to speak. "Can't do this anymore," he said at last. "Too tired…"

Janet felt a pang of panic race through her mind. Those sounded an awful lot like quitting words to her. "I know you're tired, sir, but you're so close to beating this. You've got to stick with it. Just a little longer, I promise."

He shook his head. "I can't."

"Yes, you can," the doctor replied fiercely. She took him by the chin. His eyes didn't open, but she didn't care. She knew he could still hear her. "Listen to me, Jack. You are one of the most obstinate, headstrong, and determined individuals I have ever met in my entire life. Once you get an idea in your head, it takes a brick wall twice as thick as it is tall to stop you from acting on it, and sometimes that isn't even enough. Because of this, you've brought home people that others thought were lost forever and defeated enemies others believed were unbeatable.

"You're not a quitter, Jack. You never have been and I dare say you never will be. When things get tough, you just get tougher. I know I've complained about your tenacious side in the past, but for as much of a pain in the ass as you can be, it's still one of your most endearing qualities. You can't give up now. Not when you're this close to beating it. Your fever has stabilized and your cough is breaking up. The antibiotics are working. You just have to hang in there a little longer and you'll have done it. Please, Jack. You have to fight."

The lines on Jack's forehead seemed to deepen. Janet could tell he was thinking; the process slowed down by his sickness. "You called me…a pain…in the ass…" he said at last.

Janet chuckled. For as sick as he was, Jack still couldn't help being Jack. "Yes, sir, I did," she admitted with a smile. "And, although I may regret saying this, I'd like the opportunity to do it again someday."

He regarded her through glassy eyes. "I'll try."

"That's all I can ask for."

He seemed to want to say something more, but his efforts were thwarted when he started to cough. Janet helped him through it, supporting his ribs and using the suction tube to keep his airway clear. When the bout finally subsided, she could tell Jack's energy was all but spent. His sides heaved with effort as he worked to breathe and his vital signs had dropped precariously low.

_This isn't good…_ the doctor thought dismally. "I'm sorry, sir."

At the sound of her voice, Jack's eyes slowly opened like windows on a hurting soul. For a fleeting moment, Janet could literally see the man's pain and felt guilty for asking him to keep up the fight. "Colonel, I…"

He tried to speak, but simply didn't have the strength.

"Shh, don't talk." Janet reached above the bed and made a few adjustments to his PCA pump. When she was finished, she pressed the button and the machine administered the new, higher dose of morphine to her patient. If this was really to be the end, there was no sense in him being in pain. Pushing back Jack's damp bangs and resting her hand against his forehead, she felt him relax as the drug started to work. "Just rest now, colonel. Everything's going to be fine."

Sighing deeply, Janet retrieved the chair from the desk where she'd been doing paperwork and dragged it over beside the bed. She considered having the others paged to come down, but Jack's vitals had rebounded enough for her to hold off. It wasn't much of an improvement, but… "We'll take it," she uttered aloud. She reached through the guardrail and took the colonel's hand.

"I wasn't going to tell you this until you were feeling better," she began, unsure if he could even hear her. "But I've decided to do it anyway. I met with Mrs. Struble yesterday after class to talk about the results of Cassie's placement test. She knew Cassie hadn't preformed well, but was appalled to hear that the guidance department even considered holding her back. She said that Cassie is very smart for her age and excels in reading, writing, and history, believe it or not. It's true that she doesn't demonstrate the proficiency in math that the mainstream curriculum dictates, but it's not due to a lack of intelligence. Cassie is able to do the work one-on-one or in a small group of peers, but she freezes during tests or whenever she's called to the blackboard.

"Mrs. Struble said Cassie needs a healthy dose of confidence, and that keeping her back or placing her in summer school is no way to do it. She liked the idea of private tutoring the best, however the individuals she usually recommended were already booked for the summer. She offered to do it herself, but the sessions would be sporadic as she has other obligations to fulfill. Since Cassie needs confidence more than intense instruction, she suggested finding a high school student or an adult friend that would be willing to help. That's when I got an idea.

"I mentioned that you would be having some free time on your hands, and Mrs. Struble's face immediately lit up. She said you have a special knack with kids and would be perfect for the job because you're patient and have a playful nature. She also said that Cassie admires and trusts you to no end, which is something I already knew.

"I haven't said anything to Cassie yet because I wanted to ask you first. You don't have to answer me now – I want you to think about it. Mrs. Struble said she could loan you some textbooks that highlight the areas Cassie needs the most work in. I know it's a huge favor to ask, but I really think she'd enjoy working with you, sir. She loves being with you and you could teach her so much. So just think about it, okay? It would mean the world to her if you did this. And to me too."

With her piece said, Janet waited for some sort of indication that Jack had heard her. None came. She knew she probably should have waited to say anything at all, but she feared she might not get the opportunity if he continued to fail. She secretly hoped her proposal had given Jack another reason to keep fighting. It was a long shot though.

The doctor looked at her watch. It was nearly one o'clock in the morning. She'd been up for nearly 24 hours, but the thought of going to bed never crossed her mind. Jack had told her to listen to her guts when dealing with Cassie's school dilemma, and now she was doing it to help determine what was best for him.

Janet sandwiched Jack's hand between both of her own. "I'm here with you, sir," she said, smiling a little when she felt his fingers close weakly around one of her thumbs. Prepared to stay for the duration, she settled back in her chair and began to administer the one type of medicine that couldn't be synthesized in a lab: healing from the heart.

* * *

><p>The first cognizant thought Jack had as he slowly rose from the murky depths of unconsciousness was that his chest hurt like a son of a bitch. The second was that he felt exhausted. Not a hard day's work tired, but a days without sleep, wrung out, bone weary pooped. The strange thing was, he couldn't recall what he'd done to make himself feel so miserable.<p>

The last thing he clearly remembered was trying to tell Daniel and Teal'c how to run the PlayStation they'd hooked up to his TV. While Jack had had his doubts at first, it had turned out to be an entertaining experience, especially when they selected _Tomb Raider_ from the collection of games. After watching them attempt to play for an hour, he'd fallen asleep listening to Daniel's comments about the game's historical inaccuracies, and Teal'c's suggestions on how the busty Lara Croft could improve upon her fighting techniques.

His memory became fuzzy after that. He could vaguely remember seeing blurry faces and hearing distorted voices, but there were no specifics. He had no idea what happened, how much time he'd lost, or if he was the only one effected. Given the pain and weakness he felt, he knew whatever happened hadn't been good. He just hoped his friends were all right and weren't feeling as lousy as he was.

He slowly opened his eyes and allowed them to adjust to the dim lighting. He recognized his infirmary room by the distinct K-shaped crack in the ceiling. _Gotta remember to have Siler fix that…_ he thought absently, the notion leaving him just as quickly as it had come.

Jack wrinkled his nose. The constant tickle from the air flowing through the oxygen mask he wore was starting to annoy him. Deciding it had to go, he attempted to remove the offending object with his left hand. His body, however, seemed to have other ideas and his arm refused to move. Undeterred, he tried again, this time managing to get the upper half of his arm to twitch. It was when he failed to get control over his entire arm on the third try that he realized he could barely feel anything below his elbow.

_What happened? _He thought, a surge of panic racing through his mind. _Was there another accident? A complication? Doc said there was a risk of blood clots. She put me on something to help prevent them from forming, but maybe it didn't work…_

Jack heard a soft snuffling sound off to his left. It didn't sound like machinery, but he couldn't think of anything else that would make such a noise. Using what he believed to be an inordinate amount of energy, he turned his head to see where the sound had originated. What he found made him smile.

It was Janet. Seated in an uncomfortably straight-backed chair, the doctor was sound asleep and snoring quietly. Her right hand tightly gripped his left, and it was the awkward way she had his arm pulled through the guardrail that had caused him to lose feeling in it. Jack felt the panic drain from his body. It wasn't a blood clot; it was just Janet doing what made her such a good doctor and an even better friend: caring.

He watched her for a little longer, reluctant to wake her up. She looked about as tired as he felt, and he wondered why she'd chosen to remain at his side rather than get proper rest. He thought about calling a nurse, but the help button was out of reach. He considered waiting until one came by, but that could be a long wait, especially when they knew the base's CMO was looking after him personally. Out of options, he had no choice but to wake up the petite physician. Now he just had to figure out how.

"Doc…" Jack croaked, his voice barely making it past a whisper. He swallowed and cringed, finding his throat to be scratchy and dry. He did his best to clear it and tried rousing her once again. "Doc."

Janet's quiet snoring abruptly ended with a snort. She lifted her head and looked around, disoriented until her gaze fell on Jack. "Co-colonel?" she asked, not trusting her own eyes.

"Yep."

"You're awake," she uttered, her expression going from disbelief to amazement to elation. "My god, I can't believe it – you're awake." She stood and rested her hand against his forehead, missing the flash of relief that crossed his face when she released her grip on his numb hand. He still felt a little warm, but it was obvious his fever had broken during the night. His vitals had improved and she could no longer hear the loud rattling coming from his lungs. "How do you feel?"

"Wasted," he replied, slowly flexing the fingers of his left hand to get the circulation going again. He began to ask what had happened, but trigged a coughing fit instead. The harsh, barking coughs were deep and painful, sending what felt like shards of broken glass through his lungs. The pins and needles in his hand forgotten, he wrapped his arm across his chest and clutched his broken ribs.

As his cough became more productive, Jack felt his oxygen mask being lifted and something straw-like sliding into his mouth. He resisted it at first, calming only after he realized it was sucking away the foul tasting junk that was coming up from his lungs. By the time the spell finally ended several minutes later, Jack's strength was spent, and he was alternating gasps for air with grunts of pain.

"Take it easy, sir. You're all right," Janet said as she removed the suction tube from his mouth and replaced his mask. She monitored him closely as he recovered, watching for signs of distress. Jack had already beaten the odds twice; she wasn't about to risk third. "You okay?" she asked when he seemed to be breathing a little easier.

"Peachy…" Jack mumbled through clenched teeth. His pain was diminishing, but it was an unbearably slow process. When he was finally able to open his eyes, he found Janet watching him with obvious concern. "What happened?" he wheezed, although he was pretty sure he already knew.

"You developed a chest infection that quickly turned into pneumonia," she explained. "You've been very sick for the last 48 hours with a high fever and a severe cough. It was so bad at one point that it re-broke several of your ribs and caused some of the lesions in your lungs to reopen. The bleeding has stopped, but I imagine you're still quite sore."

_Oh yeah… _he thought. _That's an understatement…_

The doctor sighed and shook her head. Part of her was still having a difficult time believing that he'd come through, especially after she thought he'd given up only a few hours earlier. "It was close, colonel – really, really close," she told him. "The antibiotics were slow to work and due to your…delicate condition, there was a question of whether or not you'd survive. You gave us all quite a scare. We came very close to losing you a second time."

"Sorry, doc."

Janet grinned. It was the same thing he'd said to her when she'd first found out he was sick. "Don't apologize, okay? This wasn't your fault, or anyone else's for that matter. Complications come up, and as much as we try, we can't always prevent them. I'm just glad you're so darned stubborn, or else we might not even be having this conversation."

He gave her a small smile. She could tell he was starting to tire; his eyelids were heavy and he was having trouble keeping his focus on her. It wasn't surprising considering all he'd been through. Pneumonia by itself could be grueling; she could only guess how the stress of his other injuries was going to play into his recovery.

"I'm going to have a couple of nurses come down and get you cleaned up a bit, sir," she said. "I know you're feeling pretty lousy, but some clean sheets and a little soap and water might be just what you need."

Although Jack wasn't in the mood for being fussed over, he didn't argue. His bedding was damp from when his fever broke, and his skin felt funky. As much as he disliked relying on others for such personal things, getting cleaned up didn't sound all that bad. Arguing with Janet rarely resulted in a victory anyway.

Just as Janet was returning from placing the call, there was a quiet knock at the door. She opened it to find Daniel and Teal'c standing outside.

"Morning, Janet," Daniel greeted. He looked tired and unshaven, leaving the doctor to wonder if he had gotten any sleep at all. "Teal'c and I were wondering if it was all right to come see Jack?"

"I don't know. Let me ask." She turned back to her patient. "What do you say, colonel? Are you up for a little company?" He replied with a nod, and she stepped aside to allow his teammates a clear view of the bed.

Daniel's eyes went wide when he saw his friend was awake. "Jack!" he exclaimed, hurrying across the room with Teal'c hot on his heels.

"He woke me up about fifteen minutes ago," Janet explained as they gathered around the bed.

"Hey, Jack."

"O'Neill, it is good to see you awake. Your illness has caused us much concern."

Daniel nodded. "Yeah, Jack. You've got to cut this out. People are going to start to think you're doing this just for the extra attention."

"Wouldn't want to take that title away from you, Daniel," Jack replied, earning a look of surprise from the other man and one of amusement from both Teal'c and Janet.

"I don't…I mean I'm not…do you really think I'd…" Daniel continued to sputter until Jack cocked an eyebrow. A deep red flush crept into the archeologist's cheeks – he knew he'd been had. What he'd meant as light teasing had been effortlessly twisted around and played back on him. He should have known better than to try and trump Jack O'Neill. Even sick, his mind was still as sharp as a tack. _A rusty tack anyway…_ "Well I was going to ask how you were feeling, but it's obvious you're fine."

The room's good humor abruptly changed to concerned when Jack started to cough. The bout wasn't as bad as his previous one, but it still left him sore and feeling drained. He mumbled an apology to his friends and allowed his eyes to drop shut.

"He is still very weak," Teal'c observed.

"He will be for some time," Janet replied. "You have to remember his body is under a lot of stress right now between fighting the pneumonia and healing his injuries. It'll probably be a week or more before he'll have much energy to spare."

"But he's definitely going to get better, right?"

Daniel's question made her sigh. She had to be careful how she answered it considering her patient was dozing beside her. "He's not out of the woods yet, but he's on the right path. The antibiotics are working and the pneumonia is breaking up. Hopefully within a few days, his coughing will lessen and his lung capacity will improve. It'll be slow going at first, but he should be back to where he was before he got sick within a week or two. Barring any further complications, of course."

Daniel frowned more out of thought than disappointment. It wasn't the definitive answer he'd been hoping for, but considering how close they'd come to losing Jack, it was something to feel encouraged about.

"Right now the best thing for him is rest. It'll give his body the chance it needs to heal."

Both men reluctantly took the hint, however their expressions made it clear they would have preferred to stay.

"Rest well, my friend," Teal'c said, resting a hand on Jack's good shoulder. "And recover quickly."

Daniel nodded. "Yeah, Jack. We need you out there. Inappropriate comments and all."

"May we return later, Doctor Fraiser?" Teal'c asked as they made their way to the door.

"Sure. Just clear it with a nurse first."

"We'll bring Sam along too," Daniel said. "I'm sure she'll be relieved to know he's doing better."

"Speaking of Sam – have you seen her yet this morning? I want to check in with her before I head home."

"Major Carter remains asleep in her quarters. We thought it best not to disturb her."

"She had a rough night," Daniel explained.

They all looked over at Jack. "I think we all did," Janet replied with a sigh. "All right. Thanks for stopping by. It was a good boost to the colonel's spirits."

Daniel opened the door and stepped out into the hall. "Thanks for letting us in. We knew Jack was in bad shape last night. I kept waiting for my phone to ring and to hear that he was…well, anyway. He didn't and that's good."

"Indeed."

"Take it easy, you two," she said, shutting the door as they left. Drawing in a deep breath, Janet tried to stretch some of the stiffness out of her back. The hard plastic chairs that were common throughout the base were not meant for sleeping in, and her sore body was reminding her why. Once the nurses arrived to take charge of Jack, her plan was to hit the showers and then catch a couple of hours of _real_ sleep before heading home.

Finding the colonel still asleep, she wandered over to the small desk and began to gather up her paperwork.

"Doc?" Jack's tired voice summoned a few minutes later.

"Hey, colonel. Everything okay?" she asked, returning to his side. He nodded, but she could see him thinking. "What's on your mind, sir?"

"Maybe I was dreaming…" he began, his speech broken by his shallow, frequent breaths. "Did you ask me if I'd tutor Cassie?"

Janet's eyebrows rose. "You actually heard that?"

"I…I thought I did." He considered it for a moment. "What? You mean you did?"

"Yes. Last night." She debated over how much to tell him, deciding to exclude the part where he'd wanted to give up. Such a detail could wait, if she ever chose to tell him at all. "I had originally planned to ask you when you feeling better, but then your condition started to slip and I was afraid I wasn't going to get the chance. I thought maybe if I asked you – and this is going to sound crazy – it would give you a little extra something to fight for."

Finished, Janet waited for Jack to roll his eyes or start laughing. She certainly didn't expect to hear the two words that he uttered instead.

"It worked."

She looked at him skeptically for a moment, trying to figure if he was being serious. He was. "I doubt my wishful thinking had anything to do with it, sir," she said modestly. "It was your will to survive that got you through."

"When faced life or death, doc, it's the little stuff that makes you stick around."

It was difficult to hear him speak of death so casually, but it was a topic with which he was intimately familiar. With the tragic death of his son, numerous military losses, and his own handful of close calls, she often wondered how he was able to go on as well as he did. She found that his 'it's the little stuff' response summed it up pretty well.

"I'm glad I could help convince you come back to us, sir. I can only imagine how hard it was for you." She watched as Jack's gaze became distant and unfocused, as if he was concentrating really hard on something. He remained this way for long that she began to wonder if he'd fallen asleep with his eyes open. "Colonel?"

He blinked suddenly and his dark eyes refocused. "Do you really think I could help Cassie?"

"I _know_ you could help Cassie," Janet replied without a trace of doubt in her voice. "But I don't want you to decide right now. Think about it first. Make sure it's something you really want to take on, okay?"

Jack nodded and closed his eyes. He was really pushing the limit with what little remained of his strength, and it was becoming difficult to keep them open. He felt Janet gently squeeze his arm and he relaxed.

"Get some rest, sir. The nurses will be here soon to get you cleaned up. If you need something to help with pain, just let them know. I'll stop in to check on you before I leave." She turned and started back toward the desk to finish collecting her things. She'd barely gotten half way across the room when Jack spoke up. His words were slightly slurred as he was already half asleep, but she could still hear the grin in his voice.

"When can I start?"


	12. Chapter 12

Just as Janet predicted, Jack's initial recovery from his battle with pneumonia was slow. For the first three days he slept almost continuously, waking only when the medication helping to control his cough began to wear off. As his symptoms improved, his stamina returned and he was able to sit up for short intervals with help. Despite his constant protests, Jack resumed his breathing exercises with Lieutenant Morgan. The process was painful but necessary, helping to clear his lungs of the remaining fluid that had made him so sick in the first place.

The only significant hurdle in Jack's recovery was his appetite, made poor by the strong antibiotic that was still being given twice a day. The continued treatment was temporary; serving to bolster his weakened immune system while his depleted strength had a chance to replenish. It was discouraging to see such a normally hearty eater just push his food around with disinterest. Janet knew he was dropping weight and took every opportunity to encourage him to eat. She even enlisted the help of his team who – now that Jack was awake most of the time – had become regular fixtures in his room.

"You're going to eat that, aren't you, colonel?" Sam asked, gesturing at the untouched bowl of soup rapidly cooling on his tray. It was her turn to make sure Jack actually ate something and not just rearranged it on his plate.

The man peered into the bowl and frowned. Chicken wasn't his favorite soup variety, but it wasn't his least favorite either. Since he had an audience, Jack forced himself to pick up the spoon and ladle out a small amount of the broth. He nearly had it up to his mouth when his guts made a wet gurgling sound and he dropped the spoon back into the bowl. "I can't," he declared, sounding defeated.

Sam sighed and shook her head. She'd been trying to get him to eat for the last hour and things weren't going very well. "Sir, you _have_ to eat," she insisted. "You don't have to finish it – just eat some of it. Please."

Jack poked at the tuna sandwich beside the soup. Again, not another one of his favorites. "I'm just not very hungry, Carter."

"This isn't about feeling hungry, sir. You have to eat. I didn't have much of an appetite when I was on antibiotics either, but I forced myself to eat and I felt better for it. And so will you." Her recovery from the infection she'd gotten in her hand was going smoother than Jack's, but she'd never gotten as sick as he did. Her course of medication had ended the day before, and her appetite was already starting to return.

Jack grunted and gave a lopsided shrug, his right arm and shoulder still immobilized in plaster. He knew he was _supposed_ to be eating – Janet had made that very clear last night when she'd found him bouncing green peas into an empty cup at the foot of his bed rather than eating them. He just wasn't hungry. Very few items appealed to him, and even when he managed to get those, they settled like cement in his irritated stomach.

"All right, sir. I didn't want to have to do this, but you're not giving me much of a choice." Sam reached around her chair and began to make a show of searching through the many pockets of her BDU shirt. When she found what she was looking for, she turned back and discovered Jack watching her with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. _Good…that's how it should be…_ she thought. _Now I just hope this works…_

She held up two small cellophane wrapped packages. Each one contained a pair of oblong golden cakes filled with a sweet cream.

Jack's eyebrows slowly rose. He recognized the treats immediately. They were Twinkies and he suddenly wanted – needed – one in the worst way. "Ah…Carter…"

"Here's the deal: you eat half of what's on that tray, and you'll get a package of these." Sam could see the wheels turning in her CO's head. Would he take the bait, or balk at being bribed?

"Half?" he asked.

"Half. Half of the soup, half of the sandwich, and half of the carrot sticks."

Jack looked down at his tray. For someone with no appetite, the small meal that sat before him looked like a holiday feast. He had a sweet tooth, however, and the promise of a Twinkie was tantalizing. After carefully scrutinizing the tuna sandwich, he selected the piece he felt was the smaller of the two halves and took a bite. Sour stomach or not, he was determined to get that cake.

Sam released the breath she'd been holding when she saw him bite into the sandwich. She'd told the others about her plan to try bribing Jack with something sweet that morning at breakfast. She'd originally thought about using cookies, but Teal'c had suggested Twinkies. Daniel didn't think either would work, insisting that Jack was too stubborn to be swayed so easily. _I guess he doesn't know Jack…_ she thought with an inward grin.

She picked up the remnants of her own lunch and began to eat with him. Although she'd been forced to use her left hand to eat for several weeks now, she still found it difficult and often resorted to bringing her mouth to the spoon rather than the spoon to her mouth. She'd wondered at first how Jack made the daunting task look so easy, and then realized that this probably wasn't the first time he'd lost the use of his right hand.

"So when's your science project starting up again?" Jack asked in between bites. His speech was better now that his breathing wasn't ragged and his oxygen mask had been replaced with a nasal cannula.

"My science project? You mean the MALP overhaul? General Hammond said we could start it up again sometime early next week. Janet cleared me for light duty yesterday, so I'm a little anxious to get going on it."

"Key term there, Carter: light duty. Take it from me when I say Fraiser's gonna watch you like a hawk."

Sam smiled. "I have a good team backing me up, so I'll pretty much just be supervising. Plus Teal'c's volunteered to help out until the general finds a temporary assignment for him and Daniel."

Jack finished his half of the sandwich and moved onto the lukewarm soup and carrots. "You couldn't recruit Daniel too?"

"I tried, but he's still working on the glyph images SG-9 brought back a few weeks ago. I guess he's almost done."

"Sounds like fun," he muttered around the stump of a carrot stick. "Not."

A companionable silence fell between the two officers as they ate their lunch. Despite a conscious effort not to, Sam couldn't help stealing an occasional glance in Jack's direction. Part of her still refused to believe that he was doing better and expected him to begin coughing uncontrollably at any moment. Janet had reassured her that such feelings – particularly after traumatic incidents – were normal and that they would get better with time.

_Time…_ Sam thought as she drained the last of her soup. It was a concept she was becoming quite familiar with, especially since Janet had put her on medical restrictions. The ironic thing was that just before the accident, she'd been thinking how nice a little extra time would be. Time to catch up on half completed projects, time to read, time to work on her bike, time to relax. Just time. But now that she had it, she found she had no desire to do the things she'd previously wanted to do. All she could think about was getting back to work. _And once I'm back to work, I'll probably start thinking about free time again…_

A loud snapping sound close to her ear made Sam jump. She looked up from gazing absently into her empty soup bowl to find Jack's open hand in front of her face.

"I believe you owe me something, Carter," he said, pointing toward the packages of Twinkies that were just beyond his reach.

"Oh! Right. How'd you do?" Sam quickly inspected his meal tray to make sure he'd held up his end of the deal. Finding he had, she handed over a package of the small cakes and watched as he tore into them using his teeth.

"I haven't had one of these things in years," he muttered happily through a mouthful of Twinkie.

Sam grinned as she opened her own package and took a bite. The familiar flavor of the slightly dry cakes and cream brought back memories of simpler times when she was a kid. They certainly weren't her first choice when it came to dessert, but if they whetted the colonel's appetite, she'd eat them three times a day. "So are you getting excited about working with Cassie?"

"Yep. Doc's supposed to be bringing me the textbooks she borrowed from the school today. We start on Thursday."

"Sounds like fun," she replied. "And if you need any help…"

"Come on, Carter. This is middle school math and science. How hard can it be?" he asked, missing the skeptical look that crossed her face. "Besides, it's not like I've never done it. It's just been a few…"

"Decades?" she offered, thoroughly enjoying the annoyed expression that crossed his face. Sam finished off her second Twinkie, crumpled the wrapper, and tried to toss it over her shoulder into the trashcan. Her shot went wide and missed the basket by several feet, which prompted an amused snort from her superior. "Oh, like you could do it."

A cocky grin appeared on Jack's face. Crumpling his own wrapper, he took careful aim at the small trashcan on the other side of the room.

Caught up in the moment, Sam playfully tried to block his shot with her hand. It would have worked too if she had chosen to use her left hand rather than her right. Instead of intercepting Jack's wrapper, she received a nasty jolt of pain that went from wrist to elbow.

"Damn it!" she exclaimed, cursing both her pain and stupidity. She braced her arm against her chest and waited for the throbbing to subside.

"You alright, Carter?" Jack asked, deciding it probably wasn't the best time to point out how foolish that had been.

"I'm fine, it's just…" She tried wiggling her fingers and cringed. "This whole being on the injured list thing is really starting to suck."

Jack's eyebrows rose. _For a smart girl like you, I thought you'd have figured that out weeks ago…_ "Hey, at least you're mobile."

"You mean as sore as you are and as sick as you've been, if Janet came in here right now and said you could get out of bed, you would?"

"I would."

"You sure about that?"

To prove he wasn't kidding, Jack tightened his stomach muscles in preparation to sit up. He only managed to pick himself up a few inches before the pain in his chest forced him to stop and fall back against the pillows with a grunt. "Okay…ouch. Too soon."

"Colonel, are you okay?" Sam asked, not liking how pale he had become.

"I think I'm good," he replied, his voice revealing his true level of discomfort. "I could really use a beer, though."

Now it was Sam's turn to raise her eyebrows. Bedridden, battling the tail end of pneumonia and still in a fair amount of pain, Jack O'Neill said he wanted a beer. Something about the total randomness of her CO's desires struck Sam as funny and she began to giggle.

"What?"

"Nothing," she said. "Just what you said was…"

"Beer?"

She started giggling harder and clamped a hand over her mouth in an attempt contain herself.

Finding her borderline evil giggle to be contagious, Jack began to chuckle despite the protest from his ribs. "Carter…ow…what have I told you before about giggling?"

"Sorry, sir. It's just…" She sniggered a few more times and cleared her throat, bringing herself under some semblance of control. "It's just good to hear you sounding more like your old self again."

Jack considered this for a moment before his expression morphed into the classic confused colonel look. "Beer?" He was teasing her now and she knew it. Sam started to laugh again and he joined her, bracing his sore ribs when he began to cough. Neither one of them heard Janet when she entered the room a moment later. The doctor was both pleasantly surprised and amused to find them laughing and generally having a good time. "Am I interrupting something I shouldn't be?" she asked at last, making both of them jump.

"Janet!" Sam exclaimed, startled by her friend's arrival. "No – you're not interrupting anything. We were just…"

"Catching up," Jack replied hoarsely between coughs.

"Are you all right, sir?" Janet asked, noting his shortness of breath and grimace of pain.

Coughing deeply a couple of times, Jack gave her a quick thumb's up as he plucked a tissue from the box beside him. He cleared his throat and spat the junk from his lungs into it, muttering an apology when he saw the disgusted look on Sam's face. He immediately started coughing again and Janet stepped in to help.

"Try to slow your breathing down, colonel," she said, keeping an eye on the vitals monitor as she supported to his ribs. "Sam, could you get him a drink please?"

Sam retrieved a pitcher of water from the back of the room and used it to refill the glass beside his bed. "I'm sorry," she said, passing it to Janet. "I got him laughing."

"There's nothing wrong with laughing," the doctor replied, helping her still winded patient take a drink. "It just might be a little too soon for hysterics, that's all." She gave Jack another minute to settle down. "You doing better?"

"Yeah," he wheezed. "Just sore."

"I've scheduled you for another round of nerve blocks tomorrow morning. I'm sure the effects from the first series are starting to wear off, especially where some of your ribs were re-fractured."

Jack frowned. "Great, something to look forward to." He sighed shallowly and turned to Sam, who looked positively guilty. "Thanks for the laugh, Carter. I needed that."

"I'm sorry I caused you to cough. I should have known that…"

He waved off her apology. "No harm done, okay? It's not your fault you have an infectious giggle. Besides, I'm technically the one that started it."

"Oh really?" Janet asked. "How?"

"Beer," they answered simultaneously and began to snicker.

The doctor shook her head. Some things were just better left unexplained. As she returned the water glass to the bedside table, the doctor took note of the amount of food left on Jack's tray. "So, I see the Twinkies worked."

"Like a charm," Sam replied with a smile.

"I wouldn't celebrate just yet. It's got to stay down first."

"Are you nauseous, sir?" Janet asked, continuing off his nod. "It's the antibiotic. You only have two doses left, so your stomach should start to settle down in a couple of days. Is it bad? Do you want something for it?"

"Nah, I'll survive."

"Well, how about a distraction then?" She held up the items she'd brought with her: two hard bound texts and a couple of thinner workbooks.

"Are those for me?" he asked.

"Mm-hmm." She placed them within easy reach. "These are the sixth grade texts I picked up from Mrs. Struble this morning. She's working on getting you a copy of the books Cassie will be using next year. She said she should have them Monday, along with a few suggestions for lesson plans."

Jack picked up the math book and flipped it open, taking in the thousands of equations, charts, and diagrams. Beside each problem to be solved was the answer printed out in magenta ink. "Teacher's edition…" he uttered absently. "Sweet…"

The two women shared an amused look as they watched him pan through the text, his eyes as wide as a child's on Christmas.

"Cassie has the student versions at home to work from," Janet explained. "I can get you any supplies you need: paper, pencils, pens…just let me know."

Jack had moved onto the science book and was looking at a full-page photo of the Moon. "It was a picture like this that first got me interested in astronomy. I couldn't have been much older than Cassie is now." He quickly leafed through the rest of the book and closed it. "This is great, Janet. Thanks."

The doctor smiled. "No problem, sir. This means so much to Cassie and me. She was literally jumping up and down when I told her you were going to be her tutor. She can't wait to start."

The man grinned and picked up the math book again. Just looking at the artwork on the cover brought back memories of recess, pop quizzes, and book-laden backpacks. Granted his math text had been more useful as a shield during spontaneous spitball fights than as a study guide, he had faired quite well in the subject. He just hoped he remembered enough from those early years to be a help to Cassie and not a hindrance.

Janet turned to Sam. "Did you have any plans for this afternoon?"

"Not really, no. Why?"

"I could really use your expertise up in Micro Lab 2. One of the scopes has gone down and we can't figure out why."

"Yeah, sure. I'll take a look at it," Sam agreed. "That is unless you wanted me to stay, sir?"

Jack was already lost in his reading. "Hm? No, I'm good. Go do what you need to do. The guys should be here soon anyway. I think Teal'c's starting to have _Tomb Raider _withdrawals. Daniel said he's been driving him nuts talking about it."

"Now I don't want your team or those books to keep you from resting," Janet told him. "You're still recovering, and the last thing you need to do is overtax yourself. If you start to feel tired, I want you to boot them out and take a nap. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," Jack replied, his tone far more mocking than serious.

_Oh yeah, he's feeling better…_ She thought and started for the door. "Come on, Sam. Let's leave the professor to his work."

Sam chuckled and turned to follow her. "I'll be back later, colonel. If you're up to it, maybe we can all catch a movie or have dinner. And don't forget, my offer to help still stands."

Jack looked up from the math text. "Carter, for the last time, I've got it. I don't need help with this."

"Okay. Just making sure."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

The two women stepped out of the room, leaving Jack alone with his pile of books. Sighing as deeply as his sore chest would allow, he flipped to a random page and began to scan down through the equations. _I don't know what Carter's talking about. 'My offer to help still stands'… please…_ he thought with a soft snort. _This stuff is easy…simple…_

"A cinch…" He turned the page to a lesson on long division. It all looked straightforward until he came across a handful of examples that made his cocky confidence go cold. "Aw crap…"

Jack looked up and saw the door to his room was ajar. "Hey, Carter!" he called, hoping she was still within earshot. "Carter! How do you divide by zero?"

* * *

><p>Daniel idly flipped through one of the folders he was carrying as he waited for the elevator to descend further into the mountain. He had been called to Hammond's office and was on his way to find out why. He didn't think it would be bad news – not about his friends anyway.<p>

He'd spent most of the day keeping Jack company while Sam and Teal'c were off working on the MALP upgrade. Both men kept busy with their own projects: Daniel his translations for SG-9 and Jack his lesson plans for Cassie. Daniel had been impressed by his friend's level of concentration throughout the morning. The other man typically had the attention span of a goldfish when it came to most things, and it was good to see him taking his tutoring assignment so seriously.

_Too bad his studious dedication wasn't enough to keep him from trying to land that paper airplane in my ear…_ Daniel thought as the elevator came to a stop on level 27. He stepped out and headed down the hall toward Hammond's office.

Sam and Teal'c had joined them a little after noon for lunch. There'd been a lot of laughing, teasing, and joking between the members of SG-1, the ease of their friendly banter making it sound like they were dining at a favorite eatery rather than the infirmary. Jack's appetite had gradually been improving, and he'd spent most of the meal trying to convince Teal'c to give up his piece of chocolate cream pie.

The group reluctantly disbanded after spending an hour together. Sam and Teal'c went back to the MALP garage, while Daniel and Jack returned to their books. Daniel remained with his friend until mid afternoon when Jack finally had to give into his body's demands for rest. He'd been in his office putting the finishing touches on his report for SG-9 when the call from Hammond had come in.

"Daniel Jackson."

He stopped and turned when he heard his name. "Hey, Teal'c."

The large man fell into step beside him, his clothing spotted with grease. "Have you been summoned to General Hammond's office as well?"

"Yeah. Any idea what's going on?"

"I do not. Perhaps he has found a suitable mission for us to participate in."

"It's going to feel weird, isn't it?" Daniel asked. "Going off world without Jack and Sam."

"We have done so before."

"I know. It's just something about this time feels different. Maybe it's because they're injured and not just obligated to be somewhere else."

"O'Neill and Major Carter will rejoin us when they are physically capable of doing so. In the meantime, we must continue our mission to defeat the Goa'uld."

Daniel gave his friend a sideways glance. _Teal'c, always the pragmatist…_

They arrived at Hammond's office. Daniel raised his hand to knock, but the large man saw them first and waved them in.

"Come in, gentlemen. Have a seat," Hammond said, searching through his collection of papers.

"You wanted to see us?" Daniel asked as he and Teal'c settled into the chairs across from the desk.

"I did." The general withdrew two folders from within one of the stacks and set them aside. "I trust both of your projects are going well?"

"Yeah. Mine's just about done, actually," Daniel replied. "I should have the finished report to you by tomorrow."

Hammond looked pleased. "That's excellent, Dr. Jackson. I look forward to reading it." He turned to Teal'c. "I trust the MALP upgrade got underway in good form?"

"Indeed. Major Carter has an exceptional team supporting her."

"That she does," the general agreed. "I'm glad to hear you've both been able to keep busy during this difficult time of watching and waiting. Now that your teammates are showing definite signs of recovery, I thought you might be interested in going back to work."

"Do you have a mission for us, General Hammond?"

"I do. One that I think you will both find intriguing." Hammond passed each man a folder and waited patiently while they reviewed it.

"It's a dig," Daniel said at last.

"It is. According to the data SG-3 collected during their reconnaissance mission a few weeks back, a very large ship apparently crashed on this planet's surface some time ago."

Teal'c looked closely at the full-page photos of mangled wreckage. "This ship appears to be of Goa'uld origin. Perhaps an early version of a Ha'tak."

"That's what SG-3 thought as well. They didn't have the time or supplies to explore it thoroughly, so I've authorized a weeklong survey of the site. I thought both of you might enjoy going along to see what, if anything, survived. You'd be joining SG-6 and departing at 0700 on Friday morning."

Daniel looked over the mission details again. It sounded tempting – an entire week to explore a Goa'uld mother ship. Sure it had crashed, but in a ship that massive, _something_ of value must have survived. He was leaning toward saying yes to joining the mission, but there was another matter on his mind that was holding him back. "Are you going to be sending a team back to P4J-592 to retrieve the gear we left behind?"

"SG-17 is scheduled to leave this Wednesday. They're going to pick up your gear and do a more in depth analysis of the Naquadah deposits Major Carter found," Hammond replied. "Is this something you gentlemen would like to participate in?"

The two men looked at one another. Part of them wanted nothing more to do with the alien planet that had nearly taken their leader's life. Another part, however, made them feel like they had unfinished business to attend to. They hadn't spoken of this feeling aloud, but even without words, it was clearly something they both shared.

"I think it is," Daniel replied. "I know I'd like to take another look around the barracks and collect a few samples from the bone yard we found. Maybe we can find out who the people there were related to ancestrally."

"The planet is also quite difficult to navigate. Perhaps SG-17 would appreciate a guide," Teal'c added.

Hammond considered this for a moment. "All right. If that's what you both want to do. I'll let Major Mansfield know you'll be joining SG-17. The mission briefing is tomorrow at 1500 hours and you will leave Wednesday morning at 0800. If you're still interested in the survey, you can meet up with SG-6 upon your return. Are there any questions?"

When neither man spoke, he collected the folders he had distributed and returned them to the pile. "Very well. I'll see both of you tomorrow at 1500 for the mission briefing. You're dismissed."

"Thank you, General," Daniel said as he and Teal'c stood to leave.

"You're welcome. I'm sure your knowledge of P4J-592 will be useful in completing this mission." Hammond watched as the two men left. He was still surprised that they were willing to pass up the survey mission, but their reasoning was valid – at least on the surface anyway.

_I just hope they find what they're looking for… _he thought, searching through his paperwork to find the week's mission roster. _Whatever it may turn out to be…_

* * *

><p>'<em>A <strong>mixed number<strong> consists of a whole number (1, 2, 3, 4…) and a fraction (1/2, 3/4, 2/3…). In order to work easily with mixed numbers, they must first be converted into an **improper fraction. **An improper fraction is a fraction that has a **numerator** that is larger than its **denominator**. Remember: the numerator is the top number of a fraction, while the denominator is the bottom number. The numerator is the number that is divided into the denominator. To change a mixed number into an improper fraction, multiply the denominator by the…'_

"Oy." Jack let the heavy math book fall back against his lap as he scrubbed a hand across his face. He remembered math giving him a headache as a kid, and now he knew why. It wasn't so much the concepts as it was the dry, verbose way the information was presented. He was never one for reading directions, and as far as he was concerned, a textbook was nothing more than a large instruction manual.

_No wonder kids hate math…_ he thought with a sigh.

There was a quiet knock at his door.

"It's open," Jack called, righting the book and trying to find where he'd left off.

Sam stuck her head around the door. "Are you busy, sir?"

"Carter! Nice to see you. What brings you to my little piece of…" He looked around his impersonal infirmary room, searching for just the right word. When no inspiration struck, he cleared his throat and changed the subject. "So, how's the science project going?"

"It was going pretty good," she replied, dropping into the chair beside his bed.

"Was? What happened?"

"I got busted," she muttered quietly.

"Busted? What's…oh. Busted." He needed no further explanation. The sheepish look on Sam's face told him everything. He closed the math book and set it aside. _This is gonna be good…_ "By whom?"

"Janet."

"And what were you doing?"

"Laying under a MALP trying to loosen a stubborn bolt on the unit's suspension system."

Jack chuckled and shook his head.

"It's not funny."

"Sure it is. You just don't remember the little chat we had about the meaning of 'light duty.'"

"I can't work like that, sir. I just can't stand by and watch while someone else does all the work. I have to help. I have to get in there and get my hands dirty."

"Carter, when you're on light duty, you stand around, supervise, and point out things that need to be done. Signing off on a job completion form is about as dirty as your hands are going to get."

Sam frowned and looked down at her splinted hand. "I'm tired of sitting around. I want to go back to work."

"Don't we all?"

"I'm sorry, colonel," she apologized. "I shouldn't be dumping all this on you."

"Don't worry about it, Carter. I know how you feel. It's frustrating to be on the sidelines watching your teammates go off and have all the fun. Believe me, it's just one of the many disadvantages of getting hurt on the job," Jack explained, preferring not to think about the details of his own recovery.

"You mean there are advantages to getting hurt on the job?" Sam asked skeptically.

"Sure. Lots."

"Name one."

"Well, let's see. There's _The Best of The Simpsons _Volume 1, 2, 3, 4, 5…"

Sam laughed. "All right. All right! I _suppose_ that could be a perk."

"It's all in how you look at it, Carter. Remember: _The Simpsons _are here for you."

"If you say so, sir," she said, shaking her head at his creative reasoning. One thing was for sure: the colonel was always good for a laugh.

"So did Fraiser pull you off the project for the rest of the day?"

"No. Just for a few hours." She picked up the legal tablet he'd been writing his notes on and began to unconsciously check his work. "How did your first lesson with Cassie go? I stopped by to see you last night, but you were already asleep."

"It went pretty good. She's a little stuck on fractions, but otherwise she knows her stuff. She just second guesses herself too much – especially if she feels pressured."

"Well she's definitely got a good teacher," Sam said, indicating his notes. "Everything here looks good."

"I can do math, Carter. It's just those crazy, blackboard filling equations that make my brain threaten to go critical."

"They do everyone at first, but then they start to grow on you."

Jack lifted an eyebrow. "Grow on you? You mean like how mushrooms grow on piles of cow…"

"So!" Sam brought the legal pad down on his leg just hard enough to break his train of thought. It was time to change the subject before their conversation started to go rapidly downhill. "How do you think Daniel and Teal'c are doing?"

"I'm sure Teal'c is doing just fine," Jack replied, rubbing the sore spot on his thigh. "And since Daniel made it through the first night without being sent home, I'd say he's doing good too."

"Do you really think Mansfield would send Daniel home?"

He gave a lopsided shrug. "Mansfield is a good guy – he's just not used to having such an…exuberant archeologist on his team. As long as Daniel doesn't geek out too much, he should do fine."

'_Geek out'…_ Sam thought to herself. _That's a new one…_ She was about to ask him to elaborate on this when her stomach rumbled quite loudly.

"Feed that thing, will you, Carter?"

"Sorry, sir, I haven't had lunch yet," she replied, somewhat embarrassed. "I sort of lost track of time."

"So go eat," he said, continuing when she hesitated. "Seriously. I don't want to get bitten."

Sam grinned and stood. "Do you need anything, sir?"

"Nah, I'm all…" he paused for a moment, reconsidering her offer. "Well…"

"What do you need?"

"You know that really nifty calculator you have? The one that draws lines and plays games?"

"You mean my five hundred dollar graphing calculator?" she asked. "The one that you almost broke just trying to get the cover off?"

"Yeah! That's the one. Can I borrow it for a while? I want to show Cassie how to do fractions on it."

"You can do fractions on any calculator, sir."

"I know. It's just yours is so…cool."

"I will find you _a_ calculator, colonel. Just not mine."

"But…"

"No, sir."

"Please?"

Sam groaned inwardly. She suddenly felt like she was dealing with an overgrown child instead of her superior officer. "I will try to find a graphing calculator that you can use. Just not mine, okay?" Jack didn't look happy with her answer, but she didn't care. The last thing she needed was him to break – albeit accidentally – her expensive, high tech calculator.

"Fine," Jack grumbled at last. "Just make sure it plays games."

"I'll do my best," she replied, going to the door. "I'll be back in a while." She saw him flip her a sloppy wave as she let herself out of the room. Once in the relative safety of the hallway, Sam started to crack up. For as trying and sometimes downright annoying as he could be, Jack was almost always a joy to be around. Even bedridden and still in a fair amount of pain, his attitude remained bright and his wit sharp. She knew if he'd pegged her just one more time with those pleading eyes, she would have given in and let him use her calculator, five hundred dollar price tag or not. Thankfully she'd been able to escape before he'd had the chance.

Feeling ten times better than when she'd first arrive, Sam made her way to the elevator to begin her search for food and a calculator. As the doors to the infirmary level closed, she began to hum quietly to herself, never realizing that the tune was that of _The Simpsons_.

* * *

><p>"I believe it is this way, Daniel Jackson."<p>

Daniel quickly detangled himself from the vine that had found its way around his ankle and hurried over to where Teal'c was waiting. "We were moving so fast at the time, this part of the trail looks totally new to me."

"There has been a significant amount of growth since we were here previously, however traces of our presence do remain," Teal'c replied.

It took some careful squinting and a little imagination, but Daniel thought he could just make out the ghost of a trail. "Let's check it out."

They headed off into the woods. Behind them, the fading sounds of a small mining operation could be heard echoing through the trees. It was Mansfield's team collecting samples from the shallow mine SG-1 had found recessed into the side of the mountain. It was a loud, dusty process and the two men were thankful they hadn't been asked to participate.

Their mission with SG-17 was progressing well. They'd found their former campsite the day before with little difficulty; their abandoned gear left relatively undisturbed in their absence. After spending the night and waking to the familiar screeches of the local wildlife, they'd led the way through the woods and along the overgrown paths they had hastily cut over a month before. Having finally had the chance to see things in the light, Daniel still couldn't believe how much work they had done to get Jack home on that fateful night.

They'd arrived at the mine midmorning and the team began their survey of the area soon thereafter. Mansfield had dismissed them early on, permitting the two members of SG-1 to go off on their own. There was no discussion about where they should go; both men had gravitated to the trail that led along the mountainside and straight to the notorious alcove.

A deep sense of apprehension made Daniel stop as he approached the entrance. His recollection of the trails may have been vague, but his memory of the alcove was sharp like a photograph. It all looked the same – the trees, the grass, the mountain – nothing had changed. It was as if time had stopped the moment they'd left, only to start up again with their return.

_Do I really want to go in there? _He asked himself. _Why did we come back here anyway? There's nothing special to see and we certainly didn't leave anything behind. So what drew us here?_

He looked over to find Teal'c hovering just inside the alcove's entrance. He appeared confused, or at least at a loss over what to do next. Daniel joined him, feeling some relief knowing he wasn't the only one that felt a little lost.

"I do not recall why we came to this location," Teal'c said when he sensed his friend's presence.

"I was going to say the same thing."

A distant detonation from behind made both men jump. The survey team was starting to use explosives to advance further into mine. The charges were small, but the resulting blast was deafening in contrast to the quiet of the forest.

"We had no reason come back here," Daniel said.

"Yet we did."

"Yeah, we did."

They stared into the grassy recess, searching for the reason of their mutual return. A light breeze swirled around them, stirring up something red hidden in the tall weeds.

"Perhaps you meant to document the fate of Menoetius," Teal'c suggested, spotting the flash of color fluttering further back in the alcove.

"Maybe…" It was a valid motive, but it didn't feel like the definitive one that had drawn them both there. Whatever the reason, Daniel decided it was best not to waste the opportunity and at least take some pictures of the fallen Goa'uld. Their time on the planet was limited, and it would likely be the last chance he'd ever get.

"So this guy wasn't really a big contender in the eyes of the System Lords?" he asked as they made their way through the grass.

"He was not. Menoetius' temper often made him irrational and unreliable. It is rumored that he lost several thousand of Cronus' troops during a failed raid on a world ruled by Apophis. He ordered an attack on the planet's stronghold before proper intelligence could be gathered. Only two of Cronus' Jaffa made it out of the pyramid alive."

"Sounds like a nice guy." Daniel retrieved his camera from its pouch and knelt down beside the sun-bleached skeleton. "So stealing slaves from Cronus was the only way he could build his own empire?"

"The Goa'uld prefer to conquer, destroy, and absorb their enemy's fleet rather than assemble their own. To do so requires great patience and skill – neither of which Menoetius possessed."

Daniel snapped a few photos of the bones before focusing in on the red robes. "What I don't understand is how he even managed to steal troops to begin with. I thought the Goa'uld kept close tabs on their human slaves?"

"They do," Teal'c replied. "However the System Lords possess such vast territories, it is logistically impossible to monitor everywhere at once. It is also likely that Menoetius waited until Cronus was engaged in battle elsewhere before attempting his thievery."

"I guess he didn't count on Cronus being able to find him." The archeologist fished a pair of folding scissors from his vest and clipped a small square of fabric from the old robes. The material was soft between his fingers and felt like a cross between velvet and silk. _Nothing but the best when you're a Goa'uld…_

As he tucked the fabric sample away for safekeeping, Daniel's eyes were drawn to the one place he had been consciously trying to avoid. _That's where it happened…_ he thought, looking at the patch of grass not far from where he stood. _That's where Jack landed…_The grass had regained most of its shape since then, but he could still see random scraps of paper and torn cloth from their rescue effort. _When we all thought he was going to…_

Daniel shook his head, trying to dislodge the macabre thought. Jack was on the mend; there was no sense in thinking about what might have been. _But how easily those thoughts come…especially here…_ He was in the process of turning away from the source of bad memories when something lying in the weeds caught his eye. Kneeling, he reached into the long grass and came out with a familiar item that made him grin.

"Hey, Teal'c. I found Jack's hat. It's a little dirty, but I think it's salvageable." When Teal'c didn't respond, Daniel turned to find him frowning down at something on the ground by his feet. "What did you find?"

"It is the ma'krell stone," he replied.

Daniel felt his stomach clench. He had hoped to never see another one of those things again, let alone the same one that had injured his friends. But now that he knew it was there, something compelled him to see it again. He walked to where Teal'c was standing and peered cautiously into the grass. Staring back up at him with feigned innocence was the red stone, looking no more dangerous than the piece of shale it was leaning against. "Makes you wonder how many people its killed over the years."

"In the hands of a Goa'uld, many. Especially one with a temper as uncontrollable as Menoetius'."

The archeologist shook his head. It made him sick to think about the number of innocent lives the Goa'uld had taken in their battles for dominance. "What should we do with it?"

Teal'c raised an inquiring eyebrow.

"Well we can't just leave it here. I mean what if someone else finds it?"

"It will not function unless…"

"Unless the person has Naquadah in their blood, I know. But what if they do? Or what if it's another Goa'uld? Teal'c, we can't let this thing hurt anyone else."

The large man considered his friend's words. His sentiments towards the rock were much the same, but… "Ma'krell stones are not easily destroyed."

It was at this time that the survey team set off another explosion. It echoed around the alcove and made the ground shake ever so slightly beneath their feet. The two men looked at each other, an idea forming collectively between them without words.

"We have C4," Daniel said at last. "Would that work?"

"I believe it would suffice. The stone's own conductive properties will enhance the blast as well."

"Good. Now let's go blow this thing into a million pieces."

Daniel pulled open his backpack and took out several small blocks of the malleable explosive. As Teal'c affixed a detonator to one of them, Daniel carefully picked up the stone and pressed it firmly into another. When both blocks were ready, he joined them together to completely surround the stone with the compound. Assembly in hand, the two men went to the back of the alcove and placed it on a shallow ledge against the wall of the mountain.

"How long?" Daniel asked, poised to set the timer.

"Three minutes. We must place ample distance between ourselves and this location as the explosion may be significant."

"Right." Keying in the correct time, he held his finger over the starter. "Ready in three, two, one…set."

Teal'c synchronized his watch and both men took off running. Breaking through clusters of bushes and hopping over logs, they had placed nearly a quarter of a mile between themselves and the alcove before they began to slow.

"Is this good?" Daniel panted. "Are we far enough away?"

"This distance should be adequate," the Jaffa replied, hardly phased by their brief sprint.

Daniel sank back against a tree facing the direction they had come. From here, the entrance to the alcove was completely lost through the tangle of bushes and trees. He wished his friends were here to see this – especially Jack. He knew how much the leader of SG-1 loved action, and enjoyed the look he got in his eyes whenever he got to blow something up. "How much longer?"

"Twenty five seconds."

"I hope this works. I know it won't make Jack and Sam better, but at least the stone won't fall into the wrong hands." Mentally counting down the seconds until detonation, a stray idea suddenly came to mind. "Do you think we should have told…?"

Daniel's words were lost in a deafening roar as the C4 detonated. A cloud of smoke came billowing from the alcove and tiny bits of gravel rained down on them from above. It was a more powerful explosion than either of them could have imagined – the ma'krell stone adding its own power to the blast.

"Wow," Daniel uttered once he'd found his voice again. "Wow, that was…"

"Tremendous."

"I was thinking along the lines of incredible, but okay, tremendous works too. Do you think it worked?"

"There is only one way to determine the fate of the ma'krell stone."

The two men made their way back to the alcove, the smoke slowly clearing around them. Pieces of stone crunched beneath their feet and charred bits of plant matter floated in the air. It was quickly becoming clear that the damage was far more extensive than a couple of C4 blocks could have done on their own.

Daniel's radio made a popping sound and began to squeal. Unable to remedy the problem by changing the channel, he clicked it off. A moment later, Teal'c's radio did the same thing. "The explosion seems to have effected our communications."

"It could be on Major Mansfield's end – they're blasting too," Daniel replied. "I suppose we should have warned them about what we were doing."

They walked the remaining distance in silence, contemplating what they would find when they reached the alcove. No stretch of the imagination, however, could have prepared them for what actually greeted them when they arrived.

"Oh my…oh wow…" Daniel uttered; his jaw dropping as he and Teal'c entered the alcove. "I didn't think it was going to be that big."

"Nor did I," Teal'c admitted, as equally shocked as his friend.

The small clearing of young trees, grass, and shrubs was gone. In its place was a massive crater, the jagged edges making it look like a giant gaping mouth. Wisps of smoke rose from its cavernous center and the pungent scent of burnt earth hung in the air. The explosion had even blown a chunk out of the surrounding rock, creating a shallow cave in the side of the mountain. There was no sign of the ma'krell stone, nor the skeletal remains of Menoetius.

"Maybe we should have only used one block of C4?"

A commotion from behind had both men spinning around. Coming from the direction of the mine, it was Major Mansfield and his team hurrying towards them with their weapons drawn.

"Doctor Jackson! Teal'c!"

Daniel put up his hands and waved them over his head. "We're all right!" he called out to the battle ready team. "We're fine!"

Mansfield brought his men to a halt, but kept them on high alert. "What the hell happened?" he demanded. "We thought we heard an explosion."

"Ah, yeah. You did actually," Daniel said, glancing over his shoulder at the still smoking crater. "We sort of blew something up."

"_Sort_ of?" The major didn't look amused.

"We sought to destroy the stone that caused injury to O'Neill and Major Carter," Teal'c explained. "We underestimated the amount of explosives necessary to complete the task, however, we were successful."

"And then some…" Mansfield muttered, motioning for his team to stand down. "Do you two realize that your little "underestimation" triggered a cave-in over at our end of the dig site?"

Daniel visibly paled. "Oh no…we never…is everyone okay?"

"We're fine. Thankfully no one was inside at the time. We just have a little extra digging to do now."

"We will assist in the clean up of any damage we may have caused," Teal'c assured him.

"You're damn right you will." Mansfield turned to his team. "Head back to the dig and start cleaning up. We'll join you shortly." With his men on their way back to work, he walked over to the entrance of the alcove and looked down at the sizeable crater.

"We're _really_ sorry about this," Daniel said. "We knew the ma'krell stone had some conductive properties, but we never would have…"

"Is that what it was called?" he asked, the anger gone from his voice. "The thing that hurt O'Neill and Carter. A ma'krell stone?"

"That is correct, Major Mansfield," Teal'c replied. "They are widely used as the center gem in Goa'uld ribbon devices. They are highly reactive and respond violently in the presence of Naquadah."

"When we heard the explosion, we didn't know what the hell was going on. We thought it had something to do with the Naquadah in the mine. Then when I couldn't raise you on the radio, I began to think the worst. We didn't know if we were dealing with a secondary explosion or a hostile." The major sighed pensively. "So are you sure you destroyed it?"

"Two blocks of C4 and its own explosive capabilities…" Daniel nodded toward the gaping crater. "I don't see how it could have survived the blast."

Mansfield studied the damage done to the alcove for a moment. He hadn't seen the area before the explosion, but it was obvious the blast had been destructive. Large chunks of the mountainside lay strewn about and several trees had been sheered off, leaving only their fingerlike roots behind. Daniel was right; nothing – not even a Goa'uld precious stone – could have survived.

"All right – fair enough. Did you two get what you came for, or do you need more time?"

The teammates looked at one another in silent communication. Their reason for returning to the accident site had become perfectly clear. Although they didn't speak of it aloud, both men felt a sense of relief knowing the object that had hurt their friends was gone. It was a fitting end to a tragic situation.

"I think I'm good. Teal'c?"

The Jaffa tipped his head. "As am I, Daniel Jackson."

"Good, because you both have some cleaning up to do," Mansfield said, pointing in the direction of the mine. "Go ahead and start back. I'll catch up to you in a minute."

As the two members of SG-1 made their way back toward the mine, Mansfield paused to take one last look at the crater sunken into the earth. _Two blocks of C4…_ he thought, shaking his head. _Yeah – you're Jack's boys all right. No questions there…._


	13. Chapter 13

Except for the occasion scratch of a pencil or rustle of paper, Jack's infirmary room was quiet. Surrounded by a mound of pillows, the colonel was reviewing his lesson plans while Cassie worked on her latest assignment. She was doing well – very well – and he was beyond proud of her progress. Even from their first session, Jack could tell she had the aptitude to grasp whatever equation, concept, or formula she was given. His priority now was to give her a strong review of the basics, while helping her to overcome her fears surrounding blackboards and testing.

_Not that you can blame the poor kid for being afraid…_ he thought.

It had taken a little coaxing, but Jack finally got Cassie to reveal the reason behind her anxieties. Back on Hanka, she'd had a grizzled teacher with a stopwatch, little patience, and no business teaching grade school math. He'd drilled them daily at the board, insisting on speed and accuracy. She'd tried to keep up, but the demanding pace and strict teaching style left her frustrated and discouraged. The other students often teased and laughed when she failed to keep up at the blackboard or was the last one to hand in her tests. Her parents finally had her pulled from the class, but the damage had already been done.

Jack found himself privately wishing that the tyrannical teacher were still alive. _I could thank him for damaging a young girl's confidence and then show my appreciation by shoving that stopwatch up his…_

"I think I'm done," Cassie declared, interrupting his thoughts.

"Already? Let me see." He took her notebook and compared her answers against the ones he'd circled in the textbook. They were all correct, just as he suspected they would be. "Not bad – not bad at all. You keep this up and you'll be giving Carter a run for her money by the end of the summer."

The young girl grinned, eating up the praise from her favorite uncle. "No one will ever be as good at math as Sam. She's the best."

"Well, just don't tell her that, okay? It'll go right to her head."

Cassie giggled. "So what's next?"

"What? You mean you want to do _more_ already?" Jack sighed and shook his head when she nodded vigorously. "All right, you're the boss." He picked up his notes and made a show of flipping through them. Although it was only their third session, he wanted to start working on her anxieties right away. He'd spent the last couple of days trying to decide how best to approach it with little luck. It wasn't until he was rereading the notes from Mrs. Struble that an idea finally struck him. "It looks like you have a pretty good grasp on fraction basics, so I guess the next step is to…aw crap."

"What? What is it? Something hard?"

"Ah, yeah, kinda." He turned a few more pages and frowned. "I hate to do this, but I think we're going to have skip over the next section and come back…"

"No! What is it? Tell me! I can do it! I know I can! "

"It's not you I'm worried about, Cass. It's me."

"You?"

Jack put on the most sheepish expression he could muster. "When I told your mom I was good at math, I sorta left out one tiny, little, so small it's almost insignificant thing."

"What?" she asked, completely buying into his act.

"I'm not good at doing word problems," he muttered, not meeting her eye.

"Word problems?"

"Even when I was back in school, I could never figure them out. It's the way they're worded – it's like they're trying to trick you or something."

Cassie broke into a broad smile. "I love word problems! They're like puzzles or riddles. I can help you, Jack. I can show you how to do them. They're fun!"

Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing. Mrs. Struble's notes had said the young girl enjoyed working through word problems, but he never expected her to call them fun. "You could?"

"Sure! Do you have any?"

He riffled through his notes and took out the page of fraction based word problems he'd made the day before. "I haven't had a chance to solve these yet, so I don't know how difficult they are."

Cassie scanned down through the problems he had given her. "I can do these."

"Are you sure you don't want to skip ahead and come back once I've been able to figure them out myself?"

"Positive. These ones are easy – I'll show you." Cassie picked up her notebook and tried to find the best way to situate herself so Jack could see as she wrote. Because of the way his pillows were arranged, it wasn't going to be easy. After a few unsuccessful arrangements, she turned and looked at the object of her fears: the blackboard.

Jack tried hard to keep the surprise off his face. He hadn't said a word about her using the board; she'd made that decision herself. He watched as she walked over to it, noting her tense body language and white knuckled grip on her notebook. As she stopped in front of it, he held his breath, waiting to see what she'd do next.

_I can't do this…_ Cassie thought, staring up at the blank slate. _I'll do something wrong and then Jack will…_ _Jack will what? Will he laugh? Will he yell at me? He's laughed at me before, but only when I was trying to be funny. And he's never yelled at me – well, except that one time we were hiking and I wandered off the trail, but he was more afraid that I'd get lost than angry. _

She sighed and closed her eyes. The memories from her days on Hanka were so strong, she could practically feel the hungry stares from the other students in her class. They were all watching and waiting; wondering if 'Can't Count Cassie' would mess up again. _'I never met a farmer's girl that couldn't count the number of peas in a pod…'_ her teacher had said. When she'd told her parents about it that night over dinner, her father laughed and said it was an old joke. He'd told her not to let it bother her, but it had. And still did.

_But you don't live on Hanka anymore. You live on Earth. Earth schools are different. And you're with Jack – he doesn't have a stopwatch and he won't laugh or yell if you make a mistake. He said he needed help doing these problems and you said you would do it. So just…_

"Do it," Cassie uttered. Drawing in a deep breath, she opened her eyes and took a piece of white chalk from the tray.

Behind her, Jack was practically bursting with delight as she began to write one of the problems on the board. Although he wanted to praise her, he was afraid that it did it too soon she'd suspect his word problem shortfall was just a ruse. Praise would definitely be forthcoming, but for now, he had to stick to his befuddled uncle routine. _Not that that should be too difficult…_

Cassie finished copying the problem and stepped back so he could see it. "I chose the one I thought might interest you the most."

"Me interested in a word problem? Let's just see about that." He cleared his throat and began to read the problem aloud. "4/7 of your birthday cake was eaten at your party. The following day, your friend ate 1/2 of what remained. The rest of the cake is yours. How much cake do you get?"

"Well?" she asked expectantly.

"Are you trying to show me how to do word problems or just make me hungry?" he replied, making her giggle. "All right. What's the first step?"

"First you have to determine what the problem is asking you to find."

"What it's asking me to find…" he echoed, taking a moment to think. "I think it's asking me to figure out how much cake I have left – and it better be a lot 'cuz I'm hungry."

Cassie grinned. "Next you need to look at what the problem gives you for information."

"Well, it tells me 4/7 of the cake of eaten at the party, and then my pig of a friend ate 1/2 of what was left the next day."

"Right! Now we just have to put the numbers into an equation so we can figure out how much you have left."

"How do you do that?"

"It's easy – I'll show you…"

* * *

><p>From the privacy of her office, Janet adjusted the volume on one of the wall-mounted monitors beside her desk. Her paperwork had been pushed aside and her full attention given to the scene that was playing out on the screen in front of her. She didn't consider it to be spying – at least not overtly. She was merely checking up on her daughter's progress, and was absolutely stunned by what she saw.<p>

When Jack first agreed to tutor Cassie, Janet was certain he'd have her comfortable working on a blackboard by the end of summer. To see her using one so soon was remarkable considering that just a few days ago, the mere sight of one would cause her to break out in a cold sweat. She was still visibly nervous, but not so much that she couldn't enjoy Jack's playful nature.

The doctor found it interesting to watch the colonel's unique style of teaching. By falling back on his often maddening, yet effective 'dense solider' routine, he was able to give Cassie something other than her discomfort to focus on. Even on the small screen, she was able to see the satisfaction and pride on Jack's face. He'd worked hard to plan out these lessons, and to see his diligence paying off so soon was surely gratifying.

He must have done something right, as Cassie suddenly began to clap and cheer. The two celebrated with a high five and Jack playfully mussing up the young girl's hair. Janet grinned. Tutoring Cassie had given him something else to focus on as well, taking his mind off his injuries and recovery. His broken ribs still caused him a decent amount of pain, but the distraction of planning and teaching had greatly reduced his level of suffering. He was happy, alert, and keeping as active as he could possibly be while confined to a bed.

On the screen, Cassie passed an easer across the blackboard and began to eagerly write out what Janet assumed to be another problem. Jack sat back against his pillows and watched patiently, allowing the young girl to take the time she needed to be comfortable. Janet knew he wouldn't start to push her until she was ready, and even then he'd likely take it slow. Guided by instinct rather than experience, he was letting Cassie's verbal and nonverbal cues tell him when she was ready to move on. In his own words, he was listening to his guts.

Janet blotted the excess moisture away from her eyes before it could cause her make-up to run. She considered herself to be good at containing her emotions, but to see her daughter making such progress was causing her to get misty. Although she knew he would never expect it, she wanted to find a way to thank the colonel for the gift of time, effort, and compassion he was giving to Cassie.

Smiling contently, Janet settled back in her chair to watch as Cassie gave Jack a lesson in word problems, while Jack gave Cassie a lesson in confidence.

* * *

><p>Jack had nearly dozed off when someone knocking at his door jarred him awake. He opened his eyes to discover a rather guilty looking Daniel and Teal'c peering into the room. "Hey, you're back."<p>

"Oh oops. You were sleeping, weren't you?" the younger man asked. "I'm sorry, Jack. We should of…"

"Don't worry about it," Jack replied, groping beside him for the bed's remote control. "I've been sleeping too much lately anyway."

"Are you certain, O'Neill? We do not wish to disturb…"

"Nope. You're here, so now you're gonna stay and keep me company." Jack carefully sat himself up, grimacing slightly as the movement pulled at his ribs. "So when'd you guys get back?"

"A few hours ago," Daniel said as he and Teal'c came into the room. "We would have come down sooner, but we got called in to debrief."

"How was the mission?"

"Most productive."

"Ah, what Teal'c meant to say…" Daniel began when his friend failed to elaborate. "…Was that we got our equipment back, confirmed the presence of Naquadah in the mine, and finished documenting the apparent massacre at the barracks."

"Sounds like a blast."

"Indeed it was, O'Neill."

Jack lifted an eyebrow at Teal'c's unusually upbeat tone. "Really now? How so?"

Daniel chuckled nervously and cleared his throat. "Well, we…we found this," he said, passing Jack his hat.

"My hat – nice!"

"I had to wash it. Some sort of large slug must have taken up residence under the visor at one point. The dirt came right out, but it took a couple of washings to get all of the orange slime off."

"Eww."

"Yeah, that's pretty much what I thought too."

Jack slipped the hat on his head and began to shape the visor with his good hand. "So you did find Naquadah in the mountainside?"

"Major Mansfield's team confirmed the presence of a sizeable Naquadah vein running close to the mountain's exterior. If the samples prove to be of superior quality, another team will be sent to extract the raw ore for further refinement," Teal'c explained.

"Well, if it pans out, Carter will be thrilled. She's been itching to make more of those generator thingies she keeps talking about." It never failed to amaze him how many projects Sam could have going on at a Ftime. If one got delayed, she could transition to the next without so much as a hitch in the process. He supposed it was sign of intelligence – or a tactic she had developed to ensure she would always be busy whenever he asked her to go fishing. "I take it you got on all right with Mansfield and SG-17."

"Yeah…" Daniel said with some hesitation.

"What happened?"

"Major Mansfield does not possess the same enthusiasm toward explosive devices as you do, O'Neill," Teal'c replied.

"Explosive devices?" Jack repeated, now very interested in what they had to say. "This is going to be good, isn't it?"

"We blew it up," Daniel muttered.

"You blew _what_ up?"

"The ma'krell stone."

"The mackerel stone?"

"The _ma'krell_ stone, Jack. The thing that reacted to the Naquadah in Sam's blood and hurled you against a rock wall."

"Oh, right. That thing. How?"

"We wrapped it in two blocks of C4 and touched it off."

"_Two_ blocks?" Jack exclaimed.

"We didn't know how strong the stone was! I mean Teal'c said they were hard to destroy, so we decided just to use everything we had and hope it would be enough."

"You're lucky you didn't blow a hole in the ground."

The archeologist shot Teal'c an uneasy look. "Um…we sort of did blow a hole in the ground. And in the mountain."

"I underestimated the ma'krell stone's own explosive properties," the Jaffa admitted. "It magnified the power of the C4 several times, and created a sizable crater in the alcove and surrounding mountainside. The explosion also triggered a minor cave-in at the mining site, however no members of SG-17 were injured."

"And I assume you told Major Mansfield what you were planning to do?"

"Not exactly. He sort of found out after the fact."

Jack shook his head and chuckled. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Daniel…"

"We didn't think of it at the time. Besides, he was more startled than angry, and I think he was kind of glad we did it. It was sort of symbolic, you know? Destroying something evil so it can never do harm again."

Jack peered out from beneath the brim of his hat at his teammates. He didn't buy into Daniel's 'symbolism' bull, but he did feel a small sense of relief knowing the object was gone. Regardless of size or purpose, every piece of technology they could take away from the Goa'uld brought the parasitical race another step closer their inevitable downfall.

_And their little stunt will make Mansfield's report one hell of an interesting read… _He spied Daniel's camera and nodded towards it. "Get any good shots?"

"I did, actually." Daniel removed the camera from its case and cued up its review option. "These are from inside the barracks we were telling you about," he said, passing it to his friend. "I'm going to have them put onto a disk, but I thought you might like to see them first."

As Jack scrolled through the photos, he couldn't help but cringe at the ferocity of some of the weapons depicted. An image of a skeleton with a decorative battleaxe embedded in its skull made him stop and shake his head. "Taking prisoners certainly wasn't in their orders, was it?"

"Punishment for defection was always death," Teal'c said. "Although it may not appear to be so, those victims were fortunate. Had Cronus truly been out for revenge, these people would have been tortured prior to their deaths. As would Menoetius."

Jack panned through the next set of photos, stopping when he came to a group that depicted several crudely made books.

"I think those are journals," Daniel replied, looking over his shoulder. "We brought them back with us, but some of them are in rough shape because of their age and the way they were stored. They're also written in an ancient form of Greek, so it's going to take some time to get them translated."

After a few more pictures of books, the photos went back to showing piles of assorted bones and grinning skulls. One sequence of shots documented Teal'c as he carefully moved a small skeleton off to the side. Jack brought the camera closer to his face. There was something silver on the floor where the skeleton had been laying. "What's that?"

"It is how we believe Cronus knew where to find Menoetius," Teal'c replied.

"Keep going," Daniel urged. "I think you'll recognize what it is – or was."

Jack advanced through the photos again. At first he had no idea what to make of the small pile of crushed metal shown in the picture. The object was vaguely round in shape and made out of a dull, silver material. Bits of what looked like electrical components had spilt from its interior, a few of them blackened from a short circuit that likely had occurred when the item was crushed.

The item did look familiar, but he couldn't quite place what the destroyed object was. "All right, I give. What is it?"

"A Goa'uld communication device," Daniel replied.

"It would appear Menoetius brought a spy along with him when he raided Cronus' slave population. It was most likely a male child looking to prove his loyalty to his god. Had he survived, he would have been a strong contender for Cronus' next First Prime."

Jack shook his head. It was a simple, but effective way to root out defectors. _Sneaky snake-headed bastards…_ he thought, continuing to scroll through the images. He'd scanned through nearly fifty more shots of the barracks and surrounding landscape before he felt his eyelids starting to droop.

"See, I told you we'd bore him," Daniel said when his friend yawned loudly.

"No, it's not that," Jack replied, passing the camera back to his friend. "I was up late last night working on Cassie's next few assignments."

"Has Cassandra Fraiser made adequate progress?" Teal'c inquired.

"Definitely. She's a very smart young lady. She surprises me with what she knows every time we have a session." He yawned again. "I guess I just stayed up too late past my bedtime."

"We'll let you take a nap, but I want you to see this first," Daniel said, handing him the camera again.

Jack looked at the photo Daniel had cued up for him. It was nothing special, just a shot of one of the large kiwi-like birds they had seen on their initial trip to the planet. It was surrounded by half a dozen smaller versions of itself, presumably her brood. "Yeah, so?"

"The big one in the middle doesn't look familiar?"

"No…should it?"

"We believe it to be the one that took interest in you previously, O'Neill," Teal'c explained.

Jack looked his alien friend in the eye to see if he was being serious. When he found that he was, he snorted and shooed them both away. "Leave me alone," he said, although his tone was far from serious.

"I still have a memory card's worth of photos that I took at the bone yard."

"Swell."

"Sam said something about everyone getting together for dinner. I'll bring them by then."

"I'll be sure to clear my calendar."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Get some sleep, Jack. We'll come back later when you're feeling less abrasive."

"Do not expect the impossible, Daniel Jackson. You will only be disappointed."

"Teal'c!" Jack exclaimed, turning his annoyance to Daniel when he heard him laugh. "And don't you encourage him."

"He gets it from you, Jack."

"Yeah, he'll get something from me all right…" Jack dropped sulkily back against the pillows and watched his friends head toward the exit. "Hey. I need to know something."

Daniel paused on his way out the door. "What?"

"What makes you think the bird in the picture is the same one that harassed me?"

"That's easy, Jack. The chicks have your eyes." Allowing himself a scant moment to enjoy Jack's open-mouthed stare, Daniel shut the door and escaped into the safety of the hall before his shocked friend had a chance to reply.

* * *

><p>Teal'c's concentration was intense. He sat motionless, observing an enemy that had yet to sense his presence. Sweat beaded along his dark brow, and his muscles twitched in anticipation of the coming fight. It had been a long, perilous journey to make it to this point, but he felt he was ready. Throughout the weeks of grueling training, he had honed his skills and amassed the knowledge necessary to face his adversary with confidence and pose.<p>

Seated cross-legged on the floor in the corner of Jack's infirmary room, the large alien was fixated on the television screen. After weeks of battling enemies ranging from bats and dinosaurs to centaurs and zombies, he had finally made it to the last level of _Tomb Raider_. Sizing up the demonic form of the final boss, he carefully considered the range of weapons and tactics at his disposal. Settling for the most logical combination of weaponry and evasive moves, he was ready to take the game off pause when he heard a grunt and muted curse from behind him.

Looking over his shoulder, he discovered Jack to be sitting up and trying to swing his long legs over the side of the bed. "O'Neill, are you well enough to be attempting such an endeavor?"

"Yeah – I've got it," Jack muttered, struggling to untangle his legs from the blankets. When he succeeded in only twisting himself up worse, he turned to his doubtful looking friend. "A little help, please?"

Teal'c set the game controller on the floor and stood. With little effort, he freed the human from his entanglement and steadied him as he wriggled his way the edge of the bed.

"Ahh…that's better," Jack uttered when his feet touched the floor. "Thanks for the help, T. And you can stop frowning like that – I'm fine."

"Did Doctor Fraiser give you permission to do this?"

"Nope – she doesn't need to. I think I know whether I can sit up or not," he replied stubbornly. "Besides, if I waited until Fraiser said it was all right, I'd be…"

"You'd be what, colonel?"

Janet's unexpected arrival caused Jack to jump and jar his sore ribs. He swore, more out of the displeasure of being caught than pain. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough, sir." She walked over to the bed and looked down at him with the most annoyed glare she could manage. Jack normally stood a good eight inches taller than her, but with him seated, the tables were turned.

"I suppose you're mad at me," he said, not meeting her eye.

"I should be," she replied. "However I'm more surprised that you haven't tried to do this sooner."

"Well, this wasn't the first time I've…" Jack snapped his mouth shut and cringed. If she hadn't been angry with him before, then she would certainly be pissed at him now.

Janet folded her arms across her chest and kept quiet. He was expecting to be scolded – and he certainly deserved it– but she saw no harm in allowing him to squirm for a few minutes first.

"Doc…" he began, unable to stand the silence or her scrutiny any longer.

"So when did you decide to start sitting up on your own?" she interrupted, not giving him a chance to make excuses.

"About a week ago."

"A week ago? Colonel, do you have any idea the damage you could have done to yourself if you'd moved incorrectly?"

"Yeah…well, sort of. I mean it wasn't really on my mind the first time I did it, but after that…"

Janet sighed and shook her head. She wanted to get mad at him, but she couldn't. He'd been so tolerant of his situation, allowing her staff to do what was necessary to treat his injuries and keep him comfortable. For someone as fiercely independent as Jack to hold it together for this long, she couldn't help but sympathize with his covert effort to be self-sufficient.

"I attempted to dissuade O'Neill from undertaking such actions without your permission, Doctor Fraiser, however he would not listen."

"It's all right, Teal'c. We all know the colonel suffers from selective hearing and sporadic lapses in common sense."

"Hey!"

The doctor ignored her patient's indignant outburst. "How's your pain?"

"Tolerable. It's a lot better than the first few times I did it."

"That's because you should have had somebody here to support you until your muscles had a chance to regain some strength." She couldn't help sounding a little upset given the way things could have gone if he'd made a wrong move. If he had asked, she would have approved his request to start sitting up – just with help. She hadn't broached the topic herself as she assumed he'd start bugging her mercilessly when he was ready, or at least when he _thought_ he was ready.

_But now that he's taken it upon himself to start the process…_ Janet debated over whether or not to proceed to the next step. She didn't want to reward his risky behavior, but she didn't want him taking any more chances on his own either. "Do you feel like trying to stand up?"

Jack's guilty demeanor instantly brightened. "What? Now? Really?"

"If Teal'c is willing to give us a hand."

"I would be honored, Doctor Fraiser," the Jaffa replied. "What do you wish me to do?"

"Well, that sort of depends on the colonel. How far can you raise your left arm, sir?" She knew his energy burn had healed nicely thanks to the high potency antibiotics he'd been on for the pneumonia, however the state of his cracked ribs beneath it could pose a problem. They would definitely be knitted by now, but still had the potential to be quite painful.

Jack managed to get his arm about half way to shoulder height before the pain shut him down. "Guess I'm not ready yet."

"Not necessarily. We just have to do things a little differently, that's all." She pushed aside the pile of blankets and motioned Teal'c over to Jack's left side. "Ideally I would have liked the colonel to be able to put his arm across your shoulders, but his ribs are still too sore for that. What I'm going to have you do instead is wrap your right arm around his waist. Do you understand?"

"I do."

"Good. Now colonel, I want you to let Teal'c do all of the lifting at this point. You can lean against him and once you're up and balanced, he can let you take some of your own weight. I'll be here to help steady you, and if at any time it becomes too much, just say the word and we'll put you back down. Sound like a plan?"

"Yep – let's do it."

At Janet's nod, Teal'c sat down on the bed and slipped his large arm around Jack's waist. He could feel his friend's heart beating rapidly through the thin garment that he wore, a mixture, he presumed, of both anticipation and anxiety.

"We'll do this on three. One, two, three…stand!"

Before Jack could even shift his weight to lean into his teammate, Teal'c had him standing in one fluid motion. Pain exploded across his chest, but he fought against it, determined not to let it spoil the moment.

"You doing okay?" Janet asked, watching him closely.

"Yeah. Good." He felt Teal'c loosen the grip he had around his waist. His legs were weak from lack of use, but they held up under the extra weight. Using his friend for support, he carefully straitened up to as close to full height as he could get. It felt good to be on his feet again after having been bedridden for so long. Unfortunately, the good feeling didn't last for very long.

"How's it feel to be six feet tall again, sir?"

"Great," he replied, the pain in his chest rapidly increasing to an intolerable level. "Can I sit down now?"

"Of course."

As easily as he'd stood him up, Teal'c lowered Jack back onto the bed. The change in position helped a little, but the pain was slow to dissipate. He was shaking, sweating, and feeling like he'd made a huge mistake.

"Colonel? Are you okay?"

"Yeah – just hurts," he uttered, his eyes squeezed tightly shut.

"You want to lie down?"

"Please." Jack tried not to groan as they helped him to lay back. He felt Janet place a small pillow against his sore ribs, the light pressure easing some of his pain.

"Do you want me to get you something for it, sir?"

"No. No, it's getting better." When his level of discomfort became tolerable again, he opened his eyes to find his two friends watching him with concern on their faces.

"Are you recovered, O'Neill?"

"I'm getting there, Teal'c. I'm getting there." He huffed out a shallow sigh. "Guess I wasn't ready for that yet, huh?"

"Actually, sir, you did better than expected," Janet replied.

He looked at her skeptically. "Oh?"

"You've been on your back for over a month. The fact that you got to your feet _and_ held your own weight the first time up is impressive. Most of the patients I've had only make it about halfway before calling it quits. Given the extensive nature of your injuries, I honestly didn't think you were going to be able to do it this time."

"I've had broken ribs before. Standing up has _never_ hurt that bad."

"You did more than just break ribs, colonel. You did substantial damage to your chest wall. This is one of those injuries that you can't just bounce back from overnight. It's going to take a long time for those muscles and bones to heal properly."

An odd look crossed his face. Normally Janet took a small amount of pride in her ability to read the colonel's various moods, but this one had her stumped. Fortunately Teal'c was there to interpret it for her.

"Do not be discouraged, O'Neill. The first attempt to rise is always the most difficult."

Jack's broody thoughts abruptly vanished. _Did Teal'c just say what I think he did? _He was about to ask his friend to repeat himself, but Janet's wide eyes and creeping blush told him everything he needed to know. They had just been treated to the Jaffa version of 'the first time is always the hardest,' with a rather suggestive undertone.

"You know," he began, unable to resist adding to the innuendo. "They also say it's the most memorable. What do you think, doc?"

Despite her best effort to keep professional, Janet couldn't keep herself from snickering. "I'm afraid the verdict is still out on that one, sir."

Frowning, Teal'c looked between the two humans. He thought he'd offered his friend a sound piece of advice, not told him a joke. "I do not understand, O'Neill. Why would you deem one successful rising as more memorable than the last?"

"Um…well…"

"I would presume someone in your condition would see each subsequent rising as more memorable than the first, as you will have regained more of your strength and vigor."

Jack clapped his good hand over his face and groaned. As well as he knew Teal'c, there were still times when he couldn't tell if the alien was joking or being serious. "I'll explain it to you later."

"Teal'c is right, sir," Janet said.

"Oh really? And exactly which part are we talking about here?"

Her cheeks flushed red and she was unable to meet his eyes, but Janet managed to keep her composure. Barely. "That you shouldn't be disappointed or frustrated by the weakness and pain you experienced your first time standing. It's no different than the pain you felt when you first started sitting up. Your body has to get used to the motions again, rebuild muscles, and coordinate itself. After what you were able to do today, I'd say that within a couple of days, you'll probably be ready to take a few steps or maybe even sit in a chair."

The doctor's words did little to help his building frustration. "Now there's something to look forward to. A chair!"

"What I'm trying to say, sir," she began, choosing to ignore his sarcasm. "Is that while you are making progress, this isn't something you can rush. If you re-injure yourself at this stage, there's a very good chance you may never set foot through the Stargate again."

She could see this final piece of information really got him thinking. There was no need to scare or threaten him with trumped up lies; the truth was frightening enough. Gate travel had become a large part of who Jack O'Neill was. To lose the ability to explore the cosmos would be to lose an important piece of himself as well.

"You must listen to Doctor Fraiser. She speaks the truth. There is an Earth saying that claims a team is as only as strong as its weakest member. I disagree. A team is as only as strong as its leader. Should you not be able to return to battle, O'Neill, SG-1 will never be the formidable force it once was."

Jack wasn't sure how to respond. He'd never been one for compliments – giving or receiving – but it seemed Teal'c had just given him a big one. While he thought of himself as a fairly decent leader, he could never claim responsibility for giving SG-1 its edge. This, he felt, belonged to the other members of the team and the many unique talents they brought along with them.

Sighing, he looked to Janet. "Can it be one of those comfy chairs from your office?"

"It can be any chair you want, sir," she replied with a grin. "I just need you to promise me one thing."

"What?"

"That you won't try to stand up without me or a member of my staff present. It'll just be a temporary thing until you regain some of your strength and balance, but it's really important. A fall right now – even a minor one – could be disastrous."

"I think I can handle that."

"You will be mobile again soon, my friend," Teal'c told him with confidence. "But you must do it appropriately and allow yourself ample time."

"Speaking of time," Janet said as she caught a glimpse of her watch. "I have a twelve o'clock appointment I need to get to and then I'm going to pick up Cassie. If you're still feeling up for a two thirty lesson, that is."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Good – she's been looking forward to it. And I should probably warn you: she found a bunch of word problems online last night and is quite eager to show them to you."

"I think I've created a monster."

"I thought the purpose of tutoring was for O'Neill to instruct Cassandra in mathematics, not for her to be instructing him?"

"It is, Teal'c," Janet replied. "However Cassie has either completely bought into the colonel's obtuse act, or she's trying to call his bluff. Whatever the reason, it's certainly helping her confidence level. If she keeps going like this, she'll be over her fears and caught up with the rest of her classmates by the end of the summer."

"Most impressive."

"I think so too," she agreed, giving Jack an approving smile. "Try to take a nap if you can, sir. I'll see you in a few hours."

"Thanks, doc," he said as she took her leave.

"Is there anything you require, O'Neill?"

"What? No, I'm good, Teal'c. You can go back to your game." As his friend returned to his virtual adventure, Jack settled back against the pillows and stared up at the ceiling. His chest still ached from the stress of standing, but it was a small price to pay for having come another step closer to normality.

He thought back over Janet's interesting visit. He'd expected her to be angry when she discovered him sitting up, and was surprised when she barely reprimanded him at all. He'd been even more surprised when she allowed him to stand. The thought of doing it on his own had certainly crossed his mind, but the pain of just sitting up without support had kept him from actually trying. Now he had to wonder if maybe she'd done it as a preemptive strike. By showing him how difficult it was in his current state, she was trying to keep him from being foolish and attempting it without help.

_Well, it worked…_ he mused, idly rubbing his sore ribs. He recalled the frustration he'd felt when things didn't go as smoothly as he'd thought they should. _Did I really think I could do it on my own the first time up? Did I think I could just hop out of bed and start walking around like nothing ever happened? And what Teal'c said about a team only being as strong as its leader – did he really mean it?_

Jack looked over at his friend seated in front of the television. He was completely absorbed in the pixilated environment displayed on the screen, his reactions to the simulated battle as precise as they would be in real life. He took the game seriously, analyzing, strategizing, and prioritizing his actions as if he were in a real combat situation.

Despite his past service to the Goa'uld, Teal'c was a good man. Jack had sensed this from the moment he'd turned against his fellow soldiers to save a group of villagers from execution. His plight to free all Jaffa from Goa'uld oppression was just, and his loyalty to Earth and SG-1 was was a skilled warrior with a heart of gold, and one of the best friends Jack had ever had.

'_Should you not be able to return to battle, O'Neill, SG-1 will never be the formidable force it once was_…' Teal'c's words echoed in Jack's mind. Whether the large man actually believed this or he'd just been trying to cheer up a friend, it was a profound compliment nonetheless. And while Jack knew he could never accept such lofty praise, he felt he owed his friend an expression of gratitude just the same.

"Hey, T?"

Lara Croft froze mid-jump on the screen as Teal'c paused his game. "Do you require assistance, O'Neill?"

"No…I just wanted to say thanks for giving me a hand and for the encouraging words. It really means a lot."

Teal'c turned to face his friend. "You are most welcome."

"And I'm sorry if I came across as a little petulant. The trouble I had standing up kind of drove home that coming back from this isn't going to be as easy as I thought. Or had hoped."

"Long-term recoveries are understandably difficult. Especially when the mind heals long before the body."

Jack couldn't help smiling at the irony in his friend's statement. "This coming from a man that can heal a broken bone in a couple of hours."

"As I have said in the past, possessing a symbiote does have several advantages. However, its presence also serves as a constant reminder of our enslavement by the Goa'uld."

"Touché."

"It is natural to desire a rapid recovery. I would be lying if I said I did not wish for you and Major Carter to recover swiftly so that SG-1 may be complete once again. But to sacrifice proper healing over a moment of impatience…" Teal'c paused for a moment as if contemplating what to say next. "Do not risk jeopardizing your future in this way, O'Neill."

For the second time in less than fifteen minutes, Jaffa logic had left Jack speechless. It was strange for someone like Teal'c – who'd probably never been laid up more than a day in his life – to have a better grasp on the fundamentals of recovery then Jack did himself. This wasn't the first serious injury of his career, but healing wasn't something that got easier with experience.

_Or age…_ Jack thought dismally. _And there's no use in dwelling over that 'cuz you ain't getting any younger…_ He sighed and looked over at Teal'c. The Jaffa sat quietly, patiently watching and waiting for his friend to process what he had told him.

"You're just full of good advice, aren't you?" Jack said at last.

"It is more than mere advice," he replied. "It is the truth. Whether you allow yourself to see it or not, O'Neill, you are a valuable person. To lose you as a resource on the front lines would be to lose a wealth of tactical knowledge, skill, and companionship. Do not permit your feelings of inadequacy and impatience to deny your body the time it needs to heal."

There was no doubt in Jack's mind that Teal'c meant every word he'd said. "Teal'c, I…" he stammered, genuinely touched. "All right. I'll do it. I'll try. I just…I might need some help along the way."

Teal'c tipped his head. "You need only ask, my friend. Daniel Jackson and Major Carter are also willing to lend their assistance."

"I appreciate it. I'll definitely be needing a hand with the whole standing up thing for awhile."

"You are free to borrow my hands for anything."

Never serious for long, Jack's eyebrows rose with interest. "_Anything_?"

"Within reason."

There was a spark in the larger man's eyes that Jack took to be the Jaffa equivalent of laughter. He chuckled and nodded toward the TV. "Go back to your game," he said as he sank into the pillows. "Apparently Doc thinks I need a nap before Cassie gets here."

"A little beauty sleep never hurt anyone, O'Neill." A small pillow came sailing across the room, barely missing the back of Teal'c's head.

"Wise guy."

Turning back to the TV, Teal'c retrieved the controller and settled in to resume the game, the ghost of a satisfied smile on his lips.


	14. Chapter 14

Howdy folks,

I'm posting this week's installment a few days early since I won't have computer access for a few days. I'm moving (yeh?), so I have no idea when I'll get my computer back online. So, here's a slightly longer than usual piece to keep you happy. A bit of naughty tongue-in-cheek humor in this one. Nothing too risky, I don't think. Enjoy :)

Bander

* * *

><p>The Fourth of July marked a day of celebration for the men and women that served at Stargate Command. Gatherings of all sizes were held as families and friends honored the day the nation gained its freedom and those who made it their duty to ensure that freedom remained. Even the teams off world held their own celebrations, some going so far as to bring sparklers and a traditional meal to share.<p>

Perhaps one of the largest assemblies of base personnel was at the local city park. Clusters of soldiers with their families occupied much of the open space beneath the trees, their laughter and happy shouts echoing throughout the grounds. Barbeques, picnics, and sprawling buffet tables provided everyone with food, and live music poured out from the central stage.

Janet looked up at the slowly setting sun as she carefully weaved her way through the crowds. The fireworks would be starting soon, filling the night sky with a colorful array of bursts, pinwheels, and shimmering flares. It would be Cassie's first time seeing the spectacular display as they'd been rained out the year before. To say the young girl was excited would've been a vast understatement, especially when she learned that SG-1 would be joining them.

There was a hollow crack somewhere off to her left followed by clapping and cheering. A pickup softball game was underway, and it sounded like someone had just made a good hit. It was the perfect day for celebrating with seasonably warm temperatures and a nice breeze to keep the bugs away. It was also the day she had chosen to be Jack's first time out of the mountain since the accident.

Despite his initial frustrations, Jack had been doing well. He'd worked daily on standing up and had slowly begun to rebuild his balance and strength. In only a matter of days, he was able to make it to and from the bathroom with little assistance, and in less than a week he was to be able to take short walks down the hall. There had been some cynicism surrounding his progress – his pain and stiffness, the short amount of time it took him to get winded – but that was Jack. As long as he was doing what he was told, she allowed him to grouse and grumble all he wanted. It was when he became quiet that she would know something was wrong.

He'd been elated the night before when she told him about her plans to take him to the Fourth of July celebration. He'd balked a little when she'd told him he'd have to use a wheelchair, but there hadn't been much bite behind his argument. He knew as well as she did that he wasn't ready to make the trip topside on his own, let alone the long walk across the park. When Teal'c arrived that morning with the chair in tow, Jack had settled himself into it and allowed his friend to shuttle him around, complaining only when he didn't think they were going fast enough.

Janet arrived at the far corner of the park a few minutes later. It was quiet back here, with most of the traffic and noise concentrated around the central stage and food areas. Jack appeared to be sleeping, his tall form comfortably stretched out in a folding chair. He'd done some visiting with friends earlier in the day, but he'd spent most of his time right here simply enjoying the warmth of the sun. It was good to see him so relaxed, and the extra rest would give his body the energy it needed to heal.

Smiling, Janet set the two six-pack bottle holders she'd been carrying down in the grass. She could hear their dog barking and Cassie shouting for the Frisbee from somewhere nearby. The young girl loved playing with her surrogate family, and from the sound of things, the friendly game of catch she'd started with Daniel, Sam, and Teal'c had really taken off.

"Hey, you're blockin' my sun," a sleepy voice said from behind her.

The doctor jumped. "Colonel! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

He waved off her apology and adjusted his sunglasses.

"You holding up okay? Are you going to make it through the fireworks?" she asked, dropping into the chair beside him.

"Oh yeah. No problem." He stretched, wincing when his ribs pulled. "The sun just makes me tired. I'd forgotten how good it feels."

"We couldn't have asked for better weather."

"Good weather, good food, great people…all that's missing is a tall, cold…"

Janet reached behind her and removed a brown bottle from one of the beverage carriers. "One of these?" she asked, holding it up for him to see.

For a moment, all Jack could do was stare. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're a cruel woman?"

"Yes, you actually on several occasions," she replied, using the arm of her chair to pop the top off the bottle. "But I don't think this qualifies as one of those times, do you?" She held the bottle out for him to take.

Jack looked at her warily. "That's a beer."

"Yup."

"And it's open."

"I know. I just opened it."

"You realize if I take that beer from you, I'm going to drink it."

"I know."

"All of it."

"I hope so. Waste not, want not as my grandmother used to say."

"I thought you said no alcohol."

"I did, and this will probably make you feel rather sleepy when combined with the medication you're on, but since you're under a doctor's direct supervision, I don't see the harm." Even with his dark sunglasses on, she could still tell Jack was sizing her up.

"You're serious?"

"Dead serious."

Suspicious to the end, Jack slowly reached out and took the bottle from her hand. "You going to join me?"

"You know, I think I just might," she said, and retrieved a beer for herself. Popping off the top, she held the bottle up for a toast. "To freedom?"

"To freedom," he echoed as they clinked their bottles together before taking a long drink. As the smooth, bitter, and slightly carbonated liquid filled his mouth, Jack felt a shiver of pleasure race up his spine. It was quite possibly the best tasting beer he'd ever had.

"Good?" Janet asked, seeing the delighted expression on his face.

"You might just get to see a grown man cry."

She laughed. "Well I'm glad you're enjoying it, because it's the only one you're going to get for awhile."

A comfortable silence fell over the two friends as they drank their beers and watched the sun slowly setting on the horizon. Situated so far from the bandstand, they could hear the crickets as they began to chirp; their familiar cadence signaling the change of day into night. While the exploration of alien worlds had given them some spectacular sights, experiencing twilight on Earth would never grow old.

"So I've been thinking…"

"I don't believe it."

Janet rolled her eyes. "I've been thinking that you might like to start some home visits."

"Visits? Why not just home? Carter's been doing it for a week now."

"Sam's injuries are _a little_ different than yours, sir," she said. "Even when your cast comes off, your mobility is still going to be limited until your ribs heal completely. Simple things like getting up from a chair or picking up something off the floor are going to be difficult and painful. I can't in good conscience send you home alone knowing that one little slip or twist could set you back months or even cause permanent damage. And it's only a temporary restriction. As your strength returns, the amount of time you can spend off base will be increased. Hopefully in a couple of months, you'll be on your own and maybe even back to work."

"Months…" he uttered quietly. "You'd think I'd be used to hearing that by now, but I'm not."

"Patience, sir. And I know you have them because I've seen you work with my daughter." Janet saw a flicker of emotion cross his face, but his sunglasses prevented her from determining what it was. Honed and hardened by years in the military, Jack could be a blank slate when he wanted to. It was only when he became very interested in the peeling label on his beer bottle that she knew what was going through his mind.

_You embarrassed him…_ she thought. _Well good. He deserves to know he's being watched and that some of his lesser-known strengths are being noticed…_

She wanted to say more, but a sudden commotion from behind a hedge of nearby bushes abruptly brought an end to their little chat.

"Get him! Get him!"

"There he is! Over there!"

"Corner him! Don't let him get away again!"

Both watched as Cassie's dog came tearing out from beneath a bush, a yellow Frisbee hanging out of the corner of his mouth. Cassie burst through a moment later, followed closely by Daniel, Sam, and Teal'c. The small dog bobbed and weaved around several trees before diving into the scrub again with the others hot on his heels.

"What was that all about?" Janet asked, totally bemused by what she had just seen.

"They were trying to teach Teal'c how to play Frisbee when JJ intercepted it and took off. They've been chasing him now for about twenty minutes," Jack replied.

The doctor chuckled at the pet name he'd given to Cassie's dog. Although she hadn't been overly impressed when he'd gotten her newly adopted daughter a dog without her permission, she was glad she'd decided to keep the small animal around. Sure he tracked mud across the floors and had chewed a pair of her best heels, but he'd also been an integral part of Cassie's introduction to life on Earth.

She recalled the time when Cassie asked what she should call her furry new friend. She had suggested naming him after someone or something special, and Cassie immediately came up with Jack. The colonel was honored when he found out that she'd named the dog after him, however he soon suggested the addition of 'Junior' to his name. When Cassie asked why, he'd replied: "Because I don't like the looks I get when your mother comes to work saying 'Jack peed on the carpet again.'" Since that day, the dog was known as 'Jack Junior' or 'JJ' for short.

When the group exited the bushes for a second time, it was clear to Janet that their pursuit was futile. Like his namesake, JJ had an iron will and a stubborn streak that ran a mile wide. Even if his pursuers managed to catch and confront him, he'd never give up the Frisbee without a fight.

_Or at the very least a dog biscuit covered in peanut butter…_ she thought, recalling the effort it had taken to get back her shoe once he'd claimed it for himself.

"Daniel, you and Cassie head right. We can cut him off just beyond those trees," Sam called, easily taking charge of the group. With her energy burn finally healed, her soft splint had been replaced with a hard cast to finish healing her broken wrist. She'd been reluctant to make the change at first – saying the rigid cast would compromise her dexterity – but after hearing the implications of an improperly healed break she reconsidered. And now, jogging across the grass and using hand signals to guide the others into position, it hardly looked like she noticed the cast at all.

"Someone's going to sleep well tonight," Jack said, clearly amused by the antics of his teammates.

"Who? Cassie?"

"I was talking about Cater and Daniel."

The doctor grinned. "Well their plan's not going to work."

"Yeah, but it sure is fun to watch them try."

Following Sam's directions, Daniel and Cassie broke to the right while the others headed left. Pouring on a burst of speed, Sam and Teal'c darted out around a large tree and right into the path of the oncoming dog. Unaffected by the people in his way, JJ circled back around and nearly plowed into Cassie's legs.

"Drop it, JJ!" she ordered in her sternest voice.

Not one for following commands, JJ whined and looked around at the four people slowly advancing on him.

"Just drop the Frisbee, JJ," Daniel said, holding his hands out as if to show the dog he wasn't hiding anything. "Come on – be a good boy. Drop it."

JJ spotted the gap between Cassie and Teal'c the same instant as Sam. "Teal'c! To your left! Close the gap!"

The Jaffa made a heartfelt attempt to close the space, but the small dog was just a little faster. With a muffled bark of victory, JJ scurried back into the safety of the bushes.

"Damn it!"

"I am sorry, Major Carter."

"It's okay, Teal'c. It's not your fault. He's got to be starting to tire out by now."

Cassie blew her sweaty bangs off her forehead. "Don't count on it."

Back at the picnic site, Jack was chuckling at the expense of his friends. _Smart dog…_ he thought, watching as the chase began anew. He allowed it to continue for several more minutes before finally taking pity on his team. Bringing two fingers to his mouth, he whistled sharply, the single note carrying clear across the park. A moment later the bushes rustled and JJ came trotting out, the Frisbee still clamped between his teeth.

"Get over here, you," Jack said, grabbing a hold of plastic disc as soon as the dog came within reach. "Drop it." JJ growled and pulled back, his tail wagging furiously behind him. "Ah! Drop it."

"Sir, you're never going to get…or maybe you are," Janet uttered, watching in amazement as JJ relinquished the Frisbee to Jack and sat down beside him. "He's um…I don't think he's ever done that before."

"I've never had any trouble with him," Jack replied, scratching the heavily panting dog behind the ears.

"You didn't just do that, sir," Sam said as she and the others trudged in from the field, exhaustion evident on their faces.

"Do what?"

She dropped down onto one of the blankets spread out on the grass. "Call him in with a whistle and then take the Frisbee away without a fight."

"He did," Daniel said, collapsing nearby. "He could have ended it before it started, but he didn't."

Cassie came over and glared down at her dog. "That wasn't very nice, JJ."

"Don't be so hard on him, Cass. He's just being a dog," Jack said. He motioned to the bowl they had set up under a tree. "Take him to get a drink. If his tongue gets any longer, someone's going to trip over it."

"This canine appears to respect your authority, O'Neill."

Jack gave a lopsided shrug. "It's all in how you talk to them, Teal'c." He flipped the Frisbee up to his friend and wiped the dog slobber off his hand on his shorts.

"I wish you had spoken to him sooner," Sam muttered, graciously accepting the drink Janet offered her. "It would have saved us a lot of running around."

"Hey, I need my entertainment too," he said, easily batting away the crumpled napkin Daniel sent flying in his direction.

Off in the distance, the music coming from the central stage changed from rock to a patriotic tune.

"Are the fireworks starting?" Cassie asked.

"They will be soon, sweetie," Janet replied, fishing some money from her pocket. "They're selling monster sized s'mores over at one of the drink tents. Any volunteers to help me go get some? My treat."

Daniel hauled himself up off the ground. "I will."

"Great. We'll be back in a few," the doctor said as they headed toward the center of the park. "Don't let the show start without us."

The last of the sun's rays faded from the sky as it slowly slid down behind the mountains. Tiny stars began to shine, and a full moon bathed the valley in a slivery light. Lightening bugs blinked and flashed in the tall grass, and a gentle breeze made the leaves on the trees whisper.

After making sure JJ had gotten his fill of water, Cassie returned to the group and sat down between Jack and Sam. "Are they really that neat?" she asked no one in particular. "The fireworks?"

"They are one of the most striking man-made spectacles I have seen on Earth," Teal'c replied, his First Prime tattoo glinting in the moonlight. "And elsewhere."

"They're beautiful, Cassie," Sam said, feeling her own excitement starting to build. "The different shapes, sounds, and colors – it's amazing what a handful of gunpowder, different metals, and a chemical reaction can do."

Cassie looked over at Jack, expecting him to add something as well, but his gaze was fixated on the sky above.

"Do you see something, O'Neill?"

Hearing his name, Jack snapped out of his trance. "Hmm? No. Sorry. I was…I just looking at the moon," he replied. "It's been awhile since I've seen it."

"One of the kids in my class at school said there's a man that lives on the moon," Cassie said.

"Well, there kind of is," Sam began. "Some people think the dark patches on its surface form a face."

Frowning, Cassie squinted up at the moon with a critical eye. "I don't see it."

"That's okay - not everyone does," Jack said. "But did you know all those dark spots and craters have names?"

"They do?"

"Yep." Jack pointed up at the sky, wishing he had thought to bring a pair of binoculars. "You see that really large dark patch up to the left? That's called the 'Sea of Rain.' And that white blotchy spot right below it? That's the 'Copernicus Crater.'"

"What about the smaller dark spot over there?" Cassie asked, pointing to the right side of the moon. "Does that have a name too?"

"Sure does. That's the 'Sea of Serenity' and the 'Sea of Tranquility' is right below it. Now if you look above that…"

Sam chuckled to herself. It was interesting to see how easily Jack slipped into exposition mode. _Now how many times has he interrupted Daniel and I for doing the exact same thing? _The thought of payback crossed her mind, but she just couldn't bring herself to disrupt him. He'd found an opportunity to do a little teaching, and from the barrage of questions he was getting, he had succeeded in captivating his audience.

_And the ironic thing… _she mused. _Is that he probably doesn't even realize he's doing it…_

Her thoughts of revenge fading, Sam gazed up at the sky. Most of the stars were difficult to see in the intense moonlight, but she could still make out some of the brighter ones. While Earth's nightscape wasn't as colorful or active as some of the ones they had seen off world, its simple yet familiar beauty would always make it her favorite.

"Why do they call that spot the 'Ocean of Storms' when there's no water on the moon?" Cassie asked.

"Because some people thought it caused bad weather when it appeared," Jack explained. "But those are the same people that thought the world was flat and the Sun revolved around the Earth."

Sam grinned when she saw the wonder in Cassie's eyes reflected in the silver light. _The fireworks will be spectacular… _she thought. _…But I think this is the moment I'll remember the most…_ Making herself comfortable on the warm ground, she settled in to enjoy Jack's impromptu lesson on the moon.

* * *

><p>"…Teal'c helped me clean out your fridge. You had some Chinese food in there with at least four different types of mold growing on it, so we wound up throwing away almost everything inside. Don't worry though, Sam went shopping and…"<p>

Jack was barely listening as Daniel rambled on, oblivious that his target audience was ignoring him. He'd been talking nonstop since they'd left the base, and showed no signs of claming up anytime soon. His topics varied from work, to the weather, to the rubbery eggs and greasy bacon they'd served in the commissary that morning for breakfast.

"…And your mail is all sorted too. We had to open some of it to pay the bills – Liz at the bank says hi, by the way – but all of the receipts are there for…"

_And he's still going…_ Jack knew he should at least be trying to pay attention since some of Daniel's chatter did pertain to him; he just wasn't in the mood. As it was, he'd found his teammates to be more excited about his homecoming than he was himself.

_Homecoming…_ He thought with a frown. _More like visiting hours…_ He was still sour over not being able to finish his recovery at home, but he wasn't about to make his displeasure widely known. Just as Janet had the authority to give him this little bit of freedom, she could also take it away. Jack knew it was best to keep his mouth shut, say thank you to the good doctor, and enjoy his brief time away from the base.

Jack smothered a yawn. He'd slept poorly the night before; bad pains in his shoulder and chest having kept him awake. Rather than alerting the evening nurse of his discomfort, he'd chosen to suffer through it on his own. Adding to his fatigue was the extra medication Janet had made him take, along with a stern lecture on when being stubborn crossed the line into being stupid.

_I'm surprised she didn't revoke my visit and confine me to my room…_ he thought dismally. He knew Janet meant well and was only looking out for his best interests, but he hated being mothered. Scolded, sore, and groggy, Jack felt he had the right to be at least a little cranky.

The car slowed as Daniel turned down the road where Jack lived. He was still talking, having moved on from the topic of mail to lawn care. "I haven't had a chance to mow it since we went back to work," he was saying as he braked to allow a woman walking her dog to cross the street. "It looks a little rough, but I'm planning to take care of that today."

His friend's words hardly registered as Jack gazed out the window, silently watching as the houses slipped by. It was late morning, and there were few people to be seen. Most would either be at work or out running errands. A couple of yards had children playing in them, but the majority stood empty. It was a decent neighborhood, quiet and safe. Little had changed while he'd been away, and it was this sense of familiarity that he welcomed the most.

Sighing, he shifted uncomfortably in his seat and wrapped his arm around his aching chest. _You over did it yesterday…_he told himself. Even without Janet's lecture, he knew he'd done too much when the pain from his ribs made him short of breath just walking back to his room. He'd spent most of the day in the MALP garage watching Sam and her team of mechanics and engineers work on the upgrade. It was tedious, boring work, but he enjoyed the time he got to spend with his teammate laughing, teasing, and generally just hanging out. The warning twinges from his ribs hardly registered until he went to stand up, and then the toll of hours seated in a straight-backed chair became painfully clear.

_That's when you should have spoken up…asked for help instead of sucking it up and letting things swell. A dose of muscle relaxant and some ice would have probably taken care of the worst of it. You would have slept better, Doc wouldn't have chewed you a new…_

"Oh, and I before I forget, one of your flying monkeys got out and destroyed your neighbor's garden again."

_Flying monkeys?_ Jack swung around to look at his friend. "_What_?"

"So you are listening," Daniel said, an odd combination of concern and amusement on his face.

"Of course I'm listening," Jack replied. "Kind of."

"Well good. Then you must already know that we're here."

_Here?_ Looking out the windshield, Jack abruptly realized they were parked in front of his house. "Huh."

"So is there something wrong, or were you ignoring me on purpose?"

"I'm sorry, Daniel, I'm just…" Jack sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I had a long night…I'm tired…Doc made me take one of those damned pain pills before we left…"

"If you're not feeling well, then maybe I should take you back to the base."

"Nope. We're here. I'm okay, really. Just bare with me – I'm a little off today."

"Only a little?"

"Ah! And comments like that don't help."

The younger man chuckled as he opened his door and got out. "Okay, Jack. Whatever you say."

With a substantial amount of effort and cursing, Jack stubbornly managed to lever himself out of the car without help. With his feet on the ground, he headed up the driveway in long strides with Daniel close on his heels.

"Slow down, Jack. You're supposed to be taking it easy."

"Hey, I'm on a time limit here. I intend to make good use of every second." Fishing his keys from his pocket, Jack opened the front door and stepped inside. _Home…_ The place smelled fresh, not closed up and unlived in as he'd expected. Even from the limited view he had from the entryway, he could tell his team had been keeping the place up. The kitchen was clean, the houseplants were healthy, and the bag of trash he'd meant to put out after work the day of the accident was gone.

_Home…my stuff, my space, my time. No nurses poking their heads in at all hours, no doctors scrutinizing my every move, no one to bother me when I'm trying to rest or telling me to slow down and take it easy…just me, myself, and…_

"So…"

Crap. It had taken him less than thirty seconds to forget about Daniel. "Okay, I'll bite: so what?"

"So have you decided what you're going to do?"

"When?"

"Now."

"Right now?"

"Well, you're the one with the limited time, so, yeah…right now sounds pretty good."

Jack frowned. He'd been so wrapped up in being sore and miserable that he failed to give any foresight to what he actually wanted to do when he got home. _What do I usually do when I get home from a mission? Shower, eat, watch TV, maybe fall asleep if there's nothing good on… _He looked down at the heavy cast that still covered his right arm from neck to elbow. _Can't shower, I'm not really hungry, so I guess that leaves…_ "Crashing in front of the TV sounds pretty good."

"Weren't you and Teal'c watching TV before we left?"

"Yep."

"And you want to watch more?"

"Sure, why not?"

"But…" Daniel didn't understand. The man had been away from home for nearly two months. Surely there was something more he wanted to do than watch TV. "You don't want to go through your mail or check your phone messages?"

"You said the bills were paid, right?"

"Yes, but…"

"Then the rest can wait until later." Tossing his keys on the table beside the door, Jack made his way into the living room.

"What about lunch? Aren't you hungry?"

"Nope." Jack snatched a few throw pillows from the couch and began to arrange them in his favorite chair. "Had a big breakfast, remember?"

"Well, what about…?"

"Daniel, don't you have a lawn to mow?"

"Janet told me to make sure you were settled and occupied before I went and did anything."

"Did she now?" Carefully, Jack settled himself into the chair, using the pillows to support his aching ribs. _Ahh…_ he thought, his body immediately relaxing as the overstuffed cushions conformed to the shape of his body. "You want to keep me occupied – toss me the phone and remote. I'll be good for hours."

Daniel quickly collected the items his friend had requested. "Anything else? Something to read or drink or…"

"Nope. Besides, I'm kinda familiar with this place. If I need something, I know where to look."

"Jack…"

"Don't worry, Daniel. I won't get up unless it's something I really want." The other man gave him a doubtful look. "Okay, _need_. I won't get up unless it's something I really _need_."

"I have a better idea," Daniel began, certain his definition of 'need' was widely different than Jack's. "I have my cell phone. If you need something call and I'll come get it for you."

"I don't want to bother you."

_Too late for that…_ "You won't. Just, stay put, okay?"

"Okay."

"Okay." Daniel edged toward the door. "I shouldn't be too long – assuming your mower starts that is."

"Take your time. No rush. Can you cut it like they do baseball fields? The kids in the neighborhood think that's cool."

"I'll see what I can do." Unable to stall any longer, the archeologist stepped outside, entrusting his friend to occupy himself.

"Finally," Jack breathed, letting his head fall against the back of the chair and shutting his eyes. He was alone in his own home for the first time in weeks. It felt good, damn good, and he could practically feel the stress, pain, and frustration leaving his body. If he could only convince Janet of the innate healing powers of beat up, over stuffed chairs, she'd be ordering up a dozen of them next time the supply budget came around.

The sound of a lawn mower engine trying to start drifted in from the backyard. He'd been meaning to fix the old walk behind since he'd traded it for the snow blower last fall, but he hadn't had the chance. It was a finicky machine, starting only when it was good and ready – usually when his arm was fixing to fall off from pulling on the ignition cord. He listened as the engine coughed and sputtered a few more times before finally catching and roaring reluctantly to life.

_I should call him…_ Jack thought with a mischievous grin. _He'll have to shut down the mower to come see what I need, and it's even harder to get going the second time…_ He reached for the phone, but stopped himself before he could dial. Daniel hadn't been assigned to be his keeper; he'd volunteered so Sam and Teal'c could continue their work at the base. He never asked him to sort his mail, pay his bills, water his plants, or mow his lawn. He'd just done it out of his own free will.

Jack put the phone back on the end table. Although the look on Daniel's face would be priceless when he realized he'd been called in on a ruse, it just didn't feel right. _I practically ignored him the whole way here…I've been short, cranky, difficult…it's not his fault I'm a mess today. I should be thanking him, not antagonizing him…_

He sighed and picked up the remote. He had little interest in the routine programming that was on during the late morning hours, but found a fishing show that looked marginally more engaging than the local news. The host was demonstrating casting techniques that he _guaranteed _would catch even the most difficult fish. Jack watched as the brash angler flailed his rod around, paying no attention to the path of the barbed lure at the end of his line. _The only thing you're going to catch doing that is a chunk of your own hide…_

After a few more lame attempts at casting, the show broke for a commercial. His eyelids starting to droop, Jack switched off the TV in favor of taking a nap. Looking out the window, he saw Daniel walking by with the mower. The younger man smiled and waved, unaware of how close he'd come to being the target of a joke. He returned the gesture with a nod.

_Daniel's a good kid…_ he thought, carefully swinging his feet up onto the coffee table. _He's sharp, dependable, honest…maybe a little naïve at times, but we all can't be perfect. He's a good friend and doesn't deserve to be antagonized…_

Jack's impish grin returned as he settled down and closed his eyes. _…Until the ride back to the base anyway…_

* * *

><p>Jack absently scratched at his arm as he walked down the hall. His cast had been off for a little over a week, but his skin was still dry and itchy from being encased in plaster. He'd long ago abandoned the sling Janet advised him to use to help support his weakened muscles, the angle it positioned his arm at putting too much pressure on his healing ribs. Except for the occasional bad day, his injuries were definitely on the mend. Thanks to his daily appointments with one of the base's physical therapists, he was slowly regaining the strength and mobility in his right arm and shoulder. His ribs and the damaged muscles of his chest wall would take more time, but his hopes for a full recovery were far more concrete than they'd been three months earlier.<p>

_With any luck, I'll be back in the field just in time for the holidays…_ Although he'd had no trouble keeping busy on Earth, he was glad to be seriously thinking about gate travel again. There'd been some concern early on that he might not regain the full use of his shoulder, but he'd slowly been working through the pain and stiffness in PT. The nature of his injuries still had Janet keeping him confined to the base at night, however she'd allowed him to move out of the infirmary and into his on base quarters. It wasn't the same as actually being home, but he welcomed the added privacy and comforts that came along with it.

Jack was nearly at the elevator bay when he heard a loud, resonating crash from further down the hall. Moving as fast as his body would allow, he hurried toward the source of the sound. About a third of the way down the corridor he stopped and poked his head through a familiar door.

"Everything okay in here, Car…?" His question petered out when he saw the floor was covered with random pieces of electronics, tools, and an assortment of nuts, bolts, and screws. "Oh."

Standing on the other side of the workbench, a rather red faced Sam was looking disgustedly down at the mess. "Hi, sir. Everything's fine."

"You sure?" he asked, trying not to step on anything as he entered the room. "'Cuz it sure looks like you've got a mess on your hands."

"Yeah, well, it's my hands that got me into this mess in the first place…" Grabbing a jar off the counter, Sam knelt and started scooping up handfuls of hardware.

Jack found an empty box beside the trashcan and carefully got down on his knees to help.

"You don't have to help, sir," she said, knowing it was still difficult for him to get up and down. "Really. I've got it. You shouldn't be…"

"I'm not going to break, Carter. I can help pick up a few loose screws. Who knows – maybe I'll find some to replace the ones I've lost over the years." He was hoping to make her smile, but Sam's frown held firm. "What happened anyway?"

"I was evaluating a glitch in one of the MALP motherboards when a spasm went through my damn hand. It made me rake my whole arm through the diagnostic equipment and toolkit. I'm lucky I wasn't using my laptop, or else it would be in pieces on the floor right now too."

"Are you all right?" Jack asked, obviously concerned.

"I'm fine. I'm just…"

"Just what?"

Sam shook her head. "Nothing."

The colonel frowned, but allowed the issue to slide for the moment. He could tell she wasn't herself, and was obviously trying to hide whatever was bothering her. He'd noticed a change in her attitude a couple of days after they'd both gotten their casts removed. While he'd been ecstatic just to be able to shower again, she'd been spending more and more time hidden away in her lab. They'd gone to PT together, and he'd overheard her coach telling her she needed to pace herself more. Even now as he watched her from the corner of his eye, she was trying to use her right hand as if it had never been injured, struggling with the little things and fumbling the larger ones.

_She's frustrated…_he thought, seeing some of the same emotions he'd been struggling with mirrored on her face. He knew his issues stemmed from inactivity, while hers came from the inability to work with her hands. She'd initially coped well when she was in charge of the MALP overhaul, but now that the project was nearing its completion, it was difficult for her to find things she could readily do. Most of her busywork around the base consisted of fine tuning thorny machinery or dissecting alien technology. With her right hand still healing from the accident, she was unable to do anything requiring fine dexterity.

Her jar filled to capacity, Sam went to place it on the counter when another muscle spasm knocked it from her hand. Cringing in anticipation of the crash, she was surprised when the sound of shattering glass didn't come. When she opened her eyes to see why, she found Jack holding the jar up for her to take.

"I think you dropped this."

"Thanks," she uttered, slightly embarrassed.

They finished cleaning up the mess in silence, Jack handing off the bigger items so she could put them in their proper place. He deliberately went slow, making sure she had time to get a good grip on whatever he gave her with both hands. He saved the largest item for last, not because of its size, but because of what it was. For as technologically challenged as he was, he still recognized the guts of a computer when he saw them, and this particular piece looked expensive.

"Is it all right?" he asked, passing her the piece of the MALP's computer.

Sam placed the heavy gauge box on her worktable and poked through its various components. "It looks okay," she said, sounding both surprised and relieved. "But I won't know for sure until I plug it back in. They're built to take a beating, so there's a chance it survived the fall."

Using a chair for support, Jack hauled himself to his feet and sat down. His ribs hurt from crawling around on the floor, but he did his best not to show it. "Well if it didn't, it's in capable hands."

"Not with me, it isn't." Sam shook her head. "I'm just surprised I didn't drop it sooner."

Jack swiped a pair of pliers from the table and began to fiddle with them. "It's okay to be frustrated, you know."

"I'm not even sure that describes how I feel." She sighed and looked over at the slowly growing pile of projects that were awaiting her attention. "I have a ton of stuff to do, but I can't trust my hand enough to do any of it. For some crazy reason I thought when the cast came off, I'd be ready to go. It never even crossed my mind that I'd still…" She looked up at her commanding officer. He hadn't said anything, but just by the way he was holding himself she could tell he was sore. "I'm sorry, sir. You're the last person I should be complaining to."

"Or maybe the first," Jack replied. "I know how you feel, Carter. Sometimes it's harder to be on the edge of recovery than it is when you first get hurt. You know where you want to be, you can see it and sense it, but you can't quite reach it."

"I just don't like sitting around and doing nothing. I feel like I'm not…I don't know…earning my keep or something."

Jack's eyebrows rose. "Earning your keep? You're a soldier, Carter, not an animal. However there have been situations where I could see getting the two confused." She gave him a meek smile, but he wanted more. "Seriously though, with all the stuff you've done for the Stargate program, you've more than earned your keep. Hell, just your work on the MALP project alone saved the base a bundle. If you hadn't been around to do it, Hammond would have put Siler in charge, and you know what happens when he gets around electricity."

Sam grinned in earnest as he mimed an explosion. She knew he was trying to make her lighten up and laugh – his preferred method of dealing with stress. She supposed she was being a little critical of herself, but her personal expectations were high. Downtime for her was modifying everyday equipment to sniff out alien materials or figuring out how to merge Earth technology with something found off world. She was happiest when her mind and body were both busy; anything less made her feel like she was wasting time.

"So if I can't do what I want to do, what _should_ I do?" she asked, half expecting him to offer her the use of his _Simpsons_ tapes again.

Jack was a little taken back by her question; Sam was usually the one he turned to for all the answers. "Er…well, there're lots of things. You could go for a walk, read a book, take in a movie, head to the gym to build up your cardio…just because you're at work, doesn't necessarily mean you have to work." She was frowning, but he could tell she was listening. "I know you love your job, but don't risk doing permanent damage to your hand because of a little impatience. We need you out there, Carter. SG-1 would be lost without you."

She turned to see if he was being serious, then gave him a 'where'd you pull that from?' look.

"I mean it!" Jack insisted when he saw her doubt. "So I borrowed some of it from what Teal'c said to me, but he's right. If I had given into my frustrations and impatience at being sidelined with injuries, I would've had to retire years ago. Now that's not to say I still don't occasionally push my luck – just ask Fraiser – but sometimes it helps to be reminded that there are other people waiting for you to recover just as anxiously as you are yourself."

_Others…? He must mean Daniel and Teal'c…_ Although they didn't have injuries to contend with, the accident had turned their worlds upside down too. Sam knew they'd been concerned about her and Jack, but it was only natural given they were all teammates, friends, and essentially family. They'd been able to go back work by joining other SG teams, but going off world with a team other than your own could be difficult. The different people, tactics, and expectations led to an all around different, and sometimes complicated, team dynamic.

_The colonel and I just want to get back to work; Daniel and Teal'c just want to get back to normal. And here I am trying to do things I'm not ready to do, possibly delaying the process even more…_

Looking at it from this new perspective, Sam found herself feeling less frustrated and more selfish. She wasn't just recovering for herself, but for her teammates as well. Should one of them become unable to fight and have to leave SG-1, things would never be the same. The team dynamic would be changed and the synergy that allowed them to perform so well would be destroyed. She knew she couldn't be responsible for something like that.

"That's some good advice," she said at last.

"Well, you know Teal'c – he's full of it."

"You are too, sir."

"Full of it? Yeah, I know. My mother used to say that all the time, especially when I used to track mud through the house and blame it on one of the dogs. It worked the first couple of times, but then she…"

"No, no!" she laughed, cutting him off before he launched headlong into a tangent. "I mean you have some good advice of your own to offer."

Jack gave a lopsided shrug, his right shoulder still too sore to complete the gesture. "Like I said, I've been here before. I know what to expect and how things go. But even an old pro like me sometimes needs to be reminded of the big picture."

Sam nodded. Although much of his past was still classified, she knew he'd sustained several serious injuries throughout his career. It wasn't something he spoke of readily, but his scars were evidence enough. If there was anyone she could trust when it came to coping with the difficulties of recovery, it was him.

Feeling better for having aired her frustrations, she started to ask how his morning session with Cassie had gone when she noticed the small pile of red shavings on the top of the workbench. "Ah, colonel…" she said, realizing he'd been occupying his ever busy hands by picking the plastic coating off her good pair of pliers.

Jack followed her gaze down to the mess on the table and then back up to the pliers in his hand. "Aw, crap…" he muttered, seeing what he'd done. He quickly brushed the pieces of plastic onto the floor. "Sorry, Carter…"

"It's okay, sir," she chuckled. "But do you think you could put those down before you strip all the plastic off the handles?"

"Where do you want them?"

"Top drawer right in front of you is fine."

He plucked a final fraying piece of plastic from the pliers before reaching for the drawer. As he pulled it open, a familiar object caught his eye. "Hey, where'd you find this?" he asked, holding up the yellow yo-yo with a smiley face.

"In your backpack the day of the accident. We stopped at the campsite to give Daniel and Teal'c a chance to clear a path. Janet needed to stay with you, so I went through our gear and pulled out the necessities."

"And you considered this a necessity?"

"No…well…soft of. We didn't know when – if ever – we'd be able to go back for the rest of our stuff. I knew Teal'c had given it to you as a gift, and I didn't think it was something you'd want left behind."

"You're right – it isn't. Thanks, Carter."

Sam watched in silent amusement as he slipped the string loop over his finger and began to play. Down, up, catch. Down, up, catch. It was amazing how easy he made it look, moving effortlessly between tricks. _I just hope he doesn't try to do an 'Around the World' in here…_ she thought, imagining the amount of damage he could do if he swung the yo-yo over his head. She breathed a small sigh of relief when the toy bumped the leg of the table and spun out while he was 'Walking the Dog.'

"Damn…" he muttered, retrieving the yo-yo and rewinding the string. "Interference."

"You make it look so easy, sir," Sam said. "My brother Mark had one when we were growing up. I could never seem to get the hang of it."

Jack looked up, surprised. "Really? A physics genius like you couldn't figure out a yo-yo?"

She shrugged. "I guess I was never coordinated enough."

"I bet you are now. Here, give it a shot," he said, tossing the toy across the table.

Sam caught it against her chest with both hands, the smiley face grinning up at her when she brought it forward. "I don't know…"

"Come on. Give it a try."

Doubtful, she slipped the loop over her finger and allowed the yo-yo to fall towards to floor. Rather than returning to her when she moved her hand upward, the yo-yo lost all vertical momentum and started to spin wildly on the end of its string. "See," she said, pulling it up to rewind it. "I told you I wouldn't be able to do it."

"Come on, Carter. It was a good try. Your timing is off that's all," Jack said, coming around the table so he could see her better. "Put it on and try again, only this time pull up just before it reaches the end of the string, not after."

"But sir…"

"Ah! Try it again. That's an order."

Sighing, Sam put her finger through the loop and did as Jack suggested. To her astonishment, the yo-yo fell, paused for an instant, and retraced its path up the string and into her waiting hand.

"There ya go!" Jack exclaimed, clapping her on the back. "I knew you would get it once you knew the secret."

Still convinced it was just a fluke, she tried it a few more times. Down, up, catch. Down, up, catch. A pleased smile slowly spread across her lips. _I'm doing it…_ she thought, dismissing the feeling of foolishness that kept trying to creep into her mind. _Just wait until I see Mark again…he won't believe it…_

Jack's grin widened as he watched his teammate's confidence with the yo-yo grow. "I thought you said you couldn't do it?"

"I guess I was wrong."

"Does it hurt?"

Sam brought the yo-yo to a stop. "No – why would it?" She looked down at the hand that was holding it in. It was her right one.

"You didn't realize you were using your right hand?" he asked.

"No…I guess I just used that hand out of habit."

"And it didn't hurt?"

"Not really – no more than those things I got in PT," she said, nodding toward the cluster of three hand strengthening balls on the counter. "It felt kind of good actually. A different way of stretching my wrist." She looked at the smiley face painted on the toy again before holding it out for him to take. "Thanks for showing me how to use this, sir. I appreciate it."

"Why don't you hang on to it for a while," he suggested. "Use it to get your hand back into shape."

"I can't…"

"Sure you can. And once you've practiced enough, I'll show you some tricks. There's 'Walk the Dog', 'Rock the Baby', 'Skin the Cat', 'Around the World'…all kinds."

Sam smiled. "Thanks. I'll take good care of it."

"I know you will."

Tucking the yo-yo into the safety of her pocket, Sam looked at the MALP hard drive sitting on the table. "I suppose I should hook this up and see if it still works."

"Or you could come with me. I was on my way to meet Daniel and Teal'c for lunch when I came to investigate the crash. You're more than welcome to join us if you want."

"I should get this done."

"Okay," Jack said, starting toward the door. "But I heard from a reliable source that the kitchen made these huge whoopie pies for dessert today."

This caught her interest. "How huge?"

"Honkin' huge. Come on," he said, motioning her to follow him. "You can't miss this."

"You're right. I can't." Abandoning her work, she joined him at the door. "I really meant what I said about you teaching me how to use the yo-yo. I know at my age it sounds foolish, but…"

"Not at all, Carter. I enjoy educating people in the fine art of yo-yoing," he said as they stepped out into the hall. "I can juggle too."

"Juggle? Really?"

"Yep."

"Wow. I didn't realize you were so talented, sir."

Jack shook his head. "I hardly call that talent. It's just one of those things I keep up my sleeve. They're good for entertaining kids or livening up a boring briefing. Although the brass usually doesn't see the humor behind it…"

Sam grinned. At first she couldn't picture an Air Force colonel and former Special Forces officer as an avid juggler, but then she remembered who'd loaned her the grinning yo-yo. Despite his career and training, Jack O'Neill was really just a big, playful kid at heart.

Arriving at the elevator bay, she slid her ID card to call for a lift. "So when did you acquire that unique ability?"

"High school. Next time you're over at the house, I'll let you see my balls." As soon as words left his mouth, Jack knew he'd messed up. "My _juggling_ balls."

"I knew what you meant, sir," Sam replied. She was trying her hardest to keep a straight face, but she could feel her cheeks starting to glow red. "Daniel and Teal'c should probably be there too."

"Really? You think they'd be interested?" He was relieved and a little impressed by his second's ability to keep composed despite his potentially risqué mistake. Had their roles been reversed, he wasn't so sure he could have kept his so easily. _Granted Carter wouldn't be offering to show me her balls. She'd probably have me down to her lab to see her junk…_ Cringing, Jack mentally kicked himself. Hard.

"Maybe," she began noticing that his face had suddenly gone as red as hers felt. "But I was thinking we might want witnesses. If anyone overheard what you just said, the rumors around here might get ugly."

The elevator car arrived and the doors slid open. "It could have been worse," Jack said, following her inside. "I could have offered to let you play with them too."

His last comment proved to be too much for Sam, and she began to laugh. He joined in, clutching at his side to support his ribs. He knew he'd be sore later on, but he didn't care. The hard laughter felt good.

Feeling the elevator begin to slow a few floors before their own, the two teammates fought to compose themselves in a hurry. The last thing they wanted was for someone to catch them in hysterics and have to explain what was so funny. With a monumental effort, they managed to sober up just as the doors opened and a young officer stepped inside.

"Colonel. Major."

"Airman," Jack greeted. If the kid sensed anything questionable had been going on just moments before, he gave no indication as he slid his badge and punched in his destination. If anything, he seemed to be a little intimidated by their presence. _Good boy. Keep your eyes low and mouth shut and you might just see lieutenant someday…_

The elevator resumed its slow climb up the mountain. Jack settled back against the wall and watched as the floor numbers ticked by. Sam slid over beside him and sighed. Both knew that eye contact at this point would be dangerous, but they were helpless not to look at one another. It was only through sheer determination that they managed to keep from cracking up and looking like complete fools in front of the young officer.

_God I wish I knew what she was thinking…_ he thought, seeing the playful twinkle of laughter in her eyes. As if reading his thoughts, Sam winked and moved her hands up and down as if she were juggling. Jack grinned. _Then again, sometimes it's better not to…_

* * *

><p>Jack grimaced as he tried to flex his shoulder. Even with the medication he'd taken with breakfast, the joint had taken a beating during PT. His recovering chest muscles hadn't fared much better, each step jarring them just enough to remind him he was far from being healed. He knew lying down for a while was the only remedy, and he'd headed off to do so as soon as he'd been freed from the torment of physical therapy.<p>

He arrived at his room to discover a manila envelope with his name on it taped to the door. Curious, he pulled it down and carried it inside. His base quarters were nothing spectacular, which was how he chose to keep them. The large room contained a bed, a footlocker, a table, an assortment of chairs, and a small chest of drawers. Except for the TV on top of the dresser, it had none of what he considered to be the creature comforts of home. It was a private place to sleep when he needed to stay close to the base and nothing more. Home, after all, was where he preferred to be.

Jack carried the envelope over to the bed and sat down. Bracing himself for the pain he knew was coming, he swung his legs up and settled back against the mound of pillows he'd arranged earlier. "Ow…ow…crap…" he grumbled as his abused shoulder and ribs began to throb in time to his beating heart. These daily occurrences of post PT pain were becoming an annoyance, however he'd refused Janet's offer of stronger medication. It wasn't that he couldn't handle the pain; he'd just been hoping for more of an improvement in his condition by now.

As the throbbing came down to a more tolerable level, Jack turned his attention to the envelope. His name was written across the front of it in long, flowing script that was decisively female. Turning it over, he undid the catch and opened it. Inside he found an unsealed legal sized envelope that was addressed to Janet Fraiser, with the local school department listed as the sender.

_Already…? _He thought, not having expected it to arrive so soon.

Several weeks earlier, Cassie had gone back to school. She'd been understandably nervous about starting her new classes, but the confidence he'd given her over the summer was obvious. After the initial few days of introductions and reviews, she had quickly and comfortably settled in to the new routine. Keeping with his promise, Jack made himself as available as possible to help with homework, but the resourceful young girl often worked through the difficulties on her own.

At his suggestion and Cassie's approval, Janet had requested that the school issue a retest to see if her scores had improved. In his hands were the results of this test, and he was almost afraid to look. She'd shown a vast improvement while working with him, but would their summer of equations, word problems, and drills show up on paper too?

He steeled himself for the possibility of disappointment and opened the envelope. Inside were several sheets of folded paper. He opened them, scanning hastily through the formal cover letter that explained what the test was and its purpose. He turned the page. Staring up at him in black and white were Cassie's latest results printed alongside her scores from May and the averages of her peers. Her reading, writing, and social studies scores had remained relatively unchanged from the initial test, putting her academically right in line with where she should be according to the school. Her science score increased from a low C average to a B, and her math score…

_That can't be right…_ It was circled several times in red ink with an arrow pointing to a single word written in the margin: amazing. Jack rubbed his eyes and blinked hard a couple of times before looking at it again. The numbers hadn't changed. _That's impossible. It has to be a mistake. There's no way she could go from a low D average to a…_

A knock at the door nearly had Jack launching out of bed. He swore and gripped his ribs. "What?" he barked.

The door slowly opened and a rather guilty looking Sam stuck her head in. "I'm sorry, sir. Is this a bad time?"

"Carter! No, now's fine. You just startled me, that's all."

Still looking guilty, Sam stepped into his room and closed the door.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Not much," she replied. "We just got out of a briefing and General Hammond thought you might like to look at the mission details." She produced a blue folder from under her arm and held it out for him to take.

"Definitely." He accepted the folder and flipped it open. "Is this your command?"

"Yeah. It's been awhile, so I'm a little nervous, but it'll just be me, Daniel, and Teal'c." Her weeks of taking proper care of her right hand had finally paid off. She'd been cleared for active duty several days ago, and this would be her first time through the gate since the accident.

"You'll be fine," Jack assured her, scanning down through the notes. "It's a supply run."

"Janet thought it might be a good idea to ease me back into things. She said my hand is ready to go, but she's requested a few day missions just to work out any remaining twinges before we potentially head into battle."

"Makes sense," he agreed, silently relieved. Although he wouldn't admit it aloud, he'd grown increasingly nervous about his team going off world without him. He hadn't been so concerned when Daniel and Teal'c were joining up with other teams, as there was always plenty of firepower around if things went bad. Now that Sam was better, they would be going off on their own, and he couldn't help fearing what would happen if they ran into trouble. His sensible side knew they could take care of themselves, but his protective side wouldn't stop broadcasting worst-case scenarios through his mind. It wasn't to say he could always keep them from harm, he just knew he'd feel awful if he hadn't at least been there to try.

"I guess SG-11 has been waiting for these supplies for a few days now, but bad weather on their end has prevented a team from going out."

"Just don't forget the good coffee. Major Hawkins tends to get cranky without it."

She smiled and took the folder back. "What about you, sir? You look kind of tired."

"I'm doing all right. I got beat up in PT, but Lieutenant Ports says I'm making progress."

"That's good to know," Sam approved. "I'm sorry I startled you earlier. You weren't sleeping, I hope."

"No, I was reading this actually." Jack passed her the report from the school.

"What is it?"

"The results from Cassie's retest."

"Really?" Sam read down through the information, her eyebrows slowly rising as she went. "Colonel, this is incredible."

"I thought it was a mistake."

"No, sir, I don't think so, and according to this letter, neither does the school. All of Cassie's scores show improvement, but her math one is amazing. To go from a low D average to a high B in just two and a half months – that's just…wow."

"She's a smart kid."

"She also had a smart teacher."

Jack made a dismissive motion with his hand. "She did all the hard work," he said modestly. "I just occasionally pointed her in the right direction."

"Well you _both_ should be proud of yourselves. My god, Janet must be ecstatic."

"I haven't talked to her personally yet. The letter was taped to my door when I got back from PT."

"She's going to be happy, there's no doubt about that." She took a quick glance at the third page, smiled, and passed it back to Jack. "Very happy." She watched as he looked over the scores again. It was difficult to tell what he was thinking, but there was definitely something going on behind those dark eyes.

"I'll let you get some rest, sir. I just stopped by to let you know we got a mission and to see how you were doing. Thanks for showing me the results of Cassie's retest. Again, it's amazing." As she turned to leave, she recalled another reason she had come. "I almost forgot. I also wanted to give this back." She reached into her pocket and withdrew the yo-yo he had loaned her.

He held up his hand and she tossed it, the wooden toy coming to rest against his palm. "Did you use it?"

"I sure did. I shaved almost a full week of recovery time because of that thing. My physical therapist was so impressed, he's considered using it for some of his other patients."

"Well he can't have this one." Jack looked down at the prized toy in his hand and frowned. "What…?" One of the yo-yo's goofy grins now sported girlie eyelashes and rosy red cheeks.

"I thought it needed a little more personality." The colonel was clearly amused by her additions. "Do you want me to make the other side match…?"

"No! No, this is good," he said, clutching it protectively to his chest. "If anyone asks, I can say it has a split personality."

Sam snickered. Only he would look at it from that perspective.

"But seriously – I'm glad your hand is better and that you're going back to work. For real work, I mean. Not the stuck on base stuff you've been suffering through. And don't worry about being in command – you'll do fine."

"Thanks, colonel. I'm sure we'll be all right. It just won't be the same without you out there with us." She saw a flicker of emotion cross Jack's face, but it was gone again before she could identify it. "You'll be with us again soon though, and I'll do my best to keep Daniel and Teal'c in line until then."

He gave an amused snort. "Hell, Carter, if you can keep Daniel in line, you can have the job."

She smiled and headed for the door. He was back to being modest again. "I'll see you at lunch, sir. And congratulations again for your success with Cassie."

"Thanks." Jack watched her go, sighing deeply when the door finally shut. Sam had touched on a nerve when she'd mentioned him not going off world with the team, but he understood what she was trying to say. It would be odd for him too not having anyone from SG-1 around for company. They'd been on missions without him before, but watching them go through the gate alone just never seemed to get any easier.

He picked up the papers from the school and looked over Cassie's scores again, his eyes drawn to the math score Janet had circled in red. It was true; she had gone from a low D average in math to a high B with less than three months of tutoring. He suspected she'd possessed the knowledge and ability all along; it was her lack of confidence and fears that made her fall behind. _Now she's sitting two points _higher_ than her class average…and they wanted to keep her back…_

Jack started to toss the papers onto the nightstand when he realized he'd missed the last page. He turned to it and found another letter. Like the page before, some of the text was underlined in red with an arrow leading up to a large exclamation point drawn in the margin. He scanned down through the letter, which was congratulatory in nature. The guidance department was pleased to see that Cassie's test scores had improved, and they now felt confident that she was inline with the rest of her classmates. To Jack, it all seemed to be quite pretentious, at least until he got to part that Janet had highlighted.

'…We are pleased to see you chose to invest in professional tutoring for Cassandra. The results are overwhelming, and the effects will be far reaching into her future…'

Jack stopped and reread the last part over again. _…You chose to invest in professional tutoring…Professional tutoring? _

"Ha!" A bark of laughter escaped him when he realized what was being said. Based on Cassie's performance, the school actually believed Janet had hired a professional tutor over the summer. Little did they know it had been a grizzled Air Force colonel that was grounded by injury. Jack shook his head and began to chuckle. _Wouldn't I like to be the one to burst their bubble…_ he thought, imagining the look on their faces when they discovered whom their "professional tutor" really was. But, then again, maybe things would be more interesting if they didn't know.

Still chuckling to himself, Jack folded up the papers and put them aside. Even without the guidance department's assumption, he couldn't have asked for a better outcome for his work with Cassie. He was proud of her, Janet was proud of her, and she even seemed to be proud of herself. _And with the improvements she made, she certainly had reason to be…_

Jack adjusted some of the pillows and settled back with a sigh. He wanted to find Janet and congratulate her on her daughter's success, but Sam's observations had been correct: he was tired. He also knew moving around too much so soon after PT would leave him sore and irritable for the rest of the day. Finding Janet could wait until later; right now he needed a nap and some recovery time from his session of prescribed torture.

Yawning, Jack tucked his good arm behind his head and closed his eyes. He thought back over the summer and the work he'd done with Cassie. She'd been so unsure of herself during those first few lessons, but had responded well to his easygoing teaching style. He recalled the look she'd get on her face whenever she grasped a new concept, and how happy she'd been when she finally conquered her fear of the blackboard. Now she was sitting at the top of her class where she both belonged and deserved to be.

As Jack drifted off to sleep, a single word came to mind when he thought about Cassie's achievements: _A-mazing…_


	15. Chapter 15

Howdy folks. Well, my move is almost over (thank goodness - I don't know how much more stress I can take...) and so's the story. Only one more chapter to go after this one. Hope people are enjoying it thus far :)

Bander

* * *

><p>The base's large locker room was choked with steam. Clouds of it billowed from beneath the shower curtain that cordoned off the lone shower stall that was in use. Inside, Jack stood with his neck turned toward the massaging showerhead, allowing the pulses of water to beat rhythmically against his skin. He'd been like this for nearly fifteen minutes, trying with little success to work a painful knot out of his neck and shoulder.<p>

Jack closed his eyes and rested his forehead against the cool tile of the shower wall. The hot water beating against him was almost unbearable, but the heat felt good on his aching muscles. He had woken up that morning with his neck and right shoulder locked so tight he could barely get out of bed. He'd worked through some of the stiffness during PT, the process leaving him bruised and seriously sore. His coach told him if he wasn't better by the next day, she'd need to try a more aggressive form of massage to break up the knotting – something he wanted to avoid at all costs. The thought of Lieutenant Ports digging and grinding her deceptively strong fingers into his already tender flesh just didn't have a good ring to it.

He knew part of his problem was worry. He'd seen his team off early that morning, watching as they disappeared through the Stargate on their first mission as SG-1 since the accident. They were slated to be back within twelve hours, but if the unstable weather pattern played up on the other end, they could be gone for much longer. It was a safe planet with friendly locals and no discernible signs of Goa'uld presence. SG-11 had been there for several weeks, mining a small pocket of Trinium ore that the native people willingly traded for some Earth medicine. Jack kept telling himself it was a sleeper of a mission, but he still couldn't help worrying just a little.

_They should have been back by now…_ he thought, increasing the water temperature ever so slightly. _Unless they ran into bad weather or worse…_

Jack abruptly cut off his own thoughts. He wasn't doing himself any favors thinking like that. The others would be back when they got back, not when he thought they should be. Sam was an excellent leader, Teal'c a superior fighter, and Daniel… Daniel could talk his way out of almost any situation and shoot somewhat straight if he needed to. They would be fine, he was sure of it. Part of him was anyway.

He gave his shoulder an experimental roll. There was pain, but not as much as he'd expected. The hot water was working, loosening his stiff muscles and freeing up his locked joints. It wouldn't be enough to keep Ports from manhandling him though. He rolled his shoulder a little more, the sound of the various tendons and ligaments popping audible over the hiss of the water. _This is gonna hurt…_ he thought, mentally preparing himself for what he was about to do.

His muscles warm and loose from the pounding water, Jack closed his eyes and began to rotate and flex his right shoulder. Pain radiated up and down his arm in sickening waves, weakening his knees and graying the corners of his vision. He could feel the various ligaments and tendons pulling and popping as he made them work, the slow, deliberate motion forcing them back into proper alignment.

"Come on, come on…" Jack ground out through clenched teeth. He had nearly reached the end of his tolerance level for self-doctoring when he felt the knotted muscles in his shoulder give unexpectedly. He cried out and braced himself against the wall as his body reeled from the sudden rush of pain. Slowly, Jack brought himself back under control. He was glad no one chose to enter the locker room during that particular time, as his grunts and curses would have undoubtedly raised question to what he was doing to himself behind the curtain.

_Nothing to see here, folks…just making some minor self-adjustments… _Such a wayward notion would usually prompt an amused chuckle, but it was hard to laugh with his shoulder and neck throbbing viciously in the background. _What if I tore something? _He thought, the idea crossing his mind for the first time. _What would I say to doc? To my team? 'I couldn't face Lieutenant Ports' ruthless fingers again, so I decided to take a crack at fixing my shoulder myself?' They might as well just start laughing and calling me 'Colonel Coward' now…_

He frowned. He really didn't think anyone would blame him for wanting to avoid another painful round of treatment, but he knew some wouldn't approve of his DIY approach. Creative? Yeah. Desperate? Sure. Stupid? You betcha. He chided himself for not having thought things through better. It wasn't to say he still wouldn't done it, but at least he would have felt less selfish about the whole thing.

Jack allowed the hot water to beat against him awhile longer before giving his shoulder a few tentative rolls. The pain was bad at first, but the more he moved the joint, the better it felt. He tried lifting his arm over his head flexing his arm into a position he'd been unable to that morning and was surprised to find how little it hurt. His range of motion was still far from normal, but it was just as good as it had been before his shoulder decided to lock up. Maybe better. On a whim, Jack tried raising his arm over his head. Pain shot down through his neck and flared across his chest.

"Crap!" he exclaimed, quickly returning his arm to a neutral position. The adjustments he'd made may have helped his shoulder, but they'd done nothing to his still tender chest muscles. He winced as he rubbed his sore ribs. _Okay, not quite ready for that yet…_

He was just turning off the water off when he heard the door to the locker room open.

"Whoa! What the…?"

"I was not aware Stargate Command possessed such a large steam room."

"Daniel? Teal'c? That you?"

"Jack?"

_Definitely Daniel…_ "You guys are late," he said, reaching out through the curtain and groping around for the towel he'd hung on the wall.

"Significant precipitation prevented a direct rendezvous with SG-11," Teal'c replied.

"What?"

"The path leading to the mining site was washed out by the recent rain. We had to detour around the worst of it, adding several hours to our travel time," Daniel explained. "No wonder there's so much steam in here, Jack, you forgot to turn on the fans."

The ventilation fans hummed to life and began to draw the heavy fog from the room. Hitching his towel around his waist, Jack grabbed his shower kit and stepped out of the stall. "I didn't forget," he said, walking past them towards his locker. "I wanted the steam."

"For…oh...what did you do to your shoulder?"

"The bruising? That wasn't me. Lieutenant Ports did that this morning."

"Was she successful in untying the knot in your shoulder, O'Neill?"

"Nope." He rummaged through his locker, taking out a clean set of clothes. "And rather than endure a second attempt, I decided to take care of it myself."

"How? By turning the locker room into a sauna?"

"A lot of hot water, a couple of bad words…it wasn't pretty, but it worked."

Daniel had shed his muddied uniform and was heading for the shower. "That's crazy."

"Really? I thought I was being resourceful."

"You could have hurt yourself worse."

"I considered that," Jack replied, choosing to leave out that the thought had occurred to him _after_ the adjustments were made. "But I sort of knew what I was doing. It wasn't the first time I've had to "untie" a knotted muscle as it were."

The water started up in Daniel's stall. "I still think you're crazy."

Jack smirked. _You and half the Universe, Danny Boy…_ "I assume the mission was a success?"

"Indeed it was, O'Neill," Teal'c remarked, as he too entered the showers. "SG-11 was pleased to receive their supplies."

"Especially the dry clothes," Daniel added. "Apparently it's been raining there for seven days straight. They're still mining, but it's pretty slow going. The few native folks we got to meet were friendly. They appeared to be of European decent, with accents and cultural similarities to the Scottish. It was difficult to tell where they were technologically based on what we saw, but the observation reports I read from SG-11 suggest mid to late 19th century on our own timeline. They were fascinated by our tools and weaponry, and…"

Jack tuned out Daniel's excited chatter. He knew cultural study and comparison had its place in the Stargate program, but it was just something he held no interest in. Allowing his friend to ramble on, he set about tackling what he found to be the most difficult part of getting dressed: putting on a shirt. Although the task had gotten easier as his body healed, the inability to raise his right arm over his head made getting in and out of T-shirts damned near impossible. He'd had to cut himself out of several before giving up entirely and settling for the button front BDU blouse instead.

_Just ask how she did…_ he thought, cringing as he slowly worked his aching arm into the long sleeve. He had hoped his teammates would have mentioned Sam's performance on their own, but so far nothing had been said. _I'm sure they were concerned about her too, at least initially. And if something happened or they questioned her readiness, they would have definitely said so…_ With the shirt in place, he began to fasten the buttons, hardly noticing the occasional fumble with right hand.

"…And you should see some of the weapons they use for hunting. They looked like something right out of the Civil War era in…" Daniel was still going.

"So everything went all right? Carter did okay?" Jack asked at last.

"Major Carter preformed exceptionally well," Teal'c replied.

"Yeah, we were fine," Daniel agreed. "Why? Were you worried about us?"

"Worried?" Jack echoed, tucking his shower kit into his locker and closing the door. "No, not really. I was just curious how things went and if Carter adjusted okay. I know it can be hard going back to work after being out for a while." Their confirmation had lifted a great weight from his shoulders. He suspected the two men knew of his concerns even though they hadn't confronted him directly. It was a silence he appreciated, knowing only time, not reasoning or reassurance, would assuage his worries. "Well I'm glad you guys had a good run. It was the best way for Carter to get her feet wet."

"We all endured wet feet, O'Neill," Teal'c said, misunderstanding his remark. "The planet's current weather pattern proved to be laden with moisture."

Jack chuckled as he scooped up his dirty clothes and deposited them in the laundry chute. The large man's unique interpretation of common Earth expressions was always good for a laugh.

"You know, Jack," Daniel began from behind the shower curtain. "You ought to think about letting Sam take the lead more often."

"Really?"

"Sure. I know being in charge is all still pretty new to her, but she seemed to be enjoying herself today."

Jack considered this as he walked over to the water cooler that stood against the back wall. He'd always thought Sam had the potential to become a strong leader. She'd never expressed an interest in having her own command, but maybe it was something she was starting to think about. He'd be sorry to lose her on SG-1, but he didn't want to keep her from pursuing her own goals. "I'll mention it to Hammond. Maybe he can set something up."

"I was thinking more along the lines of you letting her lead SG-1."

Jack fumbled the cup he was dispensing water into. _"What?"_

"Not on a permanent basis, just a few missions here and there. To you know – 'get her feet wet.'"

Now he was confused. Did Sam want her own command or not?

"And who knows? Maybe she could teach you a thing or two along the way."

Jack could hear the smile in Daniel's voice. The other man was stringing him along. He'd done a good job, too. Up until he started talking about her leading SG-1, he'd really believed Sam was considering her own command. The feeling of foolishness for being duped was quickly replaced by the need for revenge.

"Really?" he asked, trying to sound as interested as possible. "Like what?"

"L-like what? Ah…" Daniel faltered, as if he hadn't been expecting his friend to bite. "She let us stop for regular rest breaks without a big fuss."

"Okay, so you guys want more breaks. I can to do that." Jack took a drink of the water he'd gotten from the cooler. In contrast to the steam filled room, it was very cold. He headed back over to the locker area to pick up his dog tags and watch. "What else could Carter teach me?"

"Um…well, there's the…the…Teal'c, anything you want to add?"

"I have no issues with O'Neill's method of leadership, Daniel Jackson."

_Smart man…_ Jack thought. He finished fastening his watchstrap and walked over to the shower stalls. "Anything else?"

"Sam didn't hurry me along when I stopped to photograph a stone statue we came across in the woods."

"So more time to sight see then?"

"I wouldn't exactly call it sightseeing, but yeah, more time to explore the cultural aspects of a new planet would be nice."

"Okay."

"Without the sarcastic commentary…"

"All right."

"…Or asking 'what does this have to do with anything?' whenever I find something I think might be important …"

_Now we're starting to get a little carried away…_ With a flick of his wrist, Jack tossed the remaining water in his cup over the shower curtain and into Daniel's stall.

"_Jack!"_ Daniel yelped, completely startled by the sudden cold dousing.

"Oops. Sorry, Daniel. I forgot you were in there," Jack replied, finding it difficult to sound sincere while trying to keep from laughing. "By the way, I'll be sure to give your suggestions some thought."

"Jack! Revenge…"

"Is a bitch, I know. She and I have been acquainted many, many times. Just always remember: when you mess with the bull, you stand a good chance of getting the horns." Leaving his friend spouting hollow threats of doom, gloom, and reprisal, Jack headed out of the locker room with a wicked grin on his face.

* * *

><p>"Yes sir, that's correct. Three weeks at least, and I think even that's a modest estimate." General Hammond sat at relative attention at his desk, the receiver of the red phone pressed to his ear. Even though the President was well over a thousand miles away, he couldn't quite bring himself to relax while he was on the line. "It's very impressive. I couldn't have asked for a better outcome. The latest report I saw showed that the new program and instruments are functioning up to spec. The data coming back from the MALPs is more comprehensive than ever."<p>

He looked toward the large window at the front of his office when he saw someone approaching the door from the corner of his eye. It was Jack. He started to raise his hand to beckon him in, but the colonel had already entered. From the look on his face, Hammond could tell he was not happy.

"Yes sir, I will. Major Carter just went back to work last week, in fact." Despite the fuming man before him, Hammond had to chuckle at the President's words. "Yes, he's very anxious to return to the field. We're all hopeful that it will be soon. Ah-huh. Yes, sir. Thank you, sir, I'll be sure to pass that along. All right. You too. Goodbye." He replaced the red receiver on its cradle and sighed. Jack had retreated to the back of his office and appeared to be fixated on the shadow box containing his collection of service medals. "That was the President."

"Oh." Jack's terse reply showed no indication of interest whatsoever.

"He was calling to offer praise for Major Carter and her team of engineers for completing the MALP upgrade so quickly. He also wanted to know how both of you were doing – he's been concerned since hearing of the accident."

"That's nice."

Hammond sighed. Dealing with Jack when he got in this kind of mood was neither easy nor pleasant. "Is there something wrong, colonel?"

"Carter just showed me the report from SG-1's next mission."

The general knew SG-1 was slated to embark at 0700 the following morning. They were heading to P4R-332 to determine whether or not the intel they had received from the Tok'ra about Heru'ur's presence there was reliable. "Then you already know it's a reconnaissance mission."

"It's an overnight."

Jack was still facing the wall, but his tense posture told Hammond everything he needed to know. "It has the potential to be, yes. If the intelligence from the Tok'ra turns out to be legitimate, they're to remain undetected and observe Jaffa activity for up to 72 hours before returning home."

"Carter hasn't been cleared for this type of mission yet. Fraiser wanted her to do several short trips first. She's only been on one."

"Major Carter was cleared for full active duty upon her return from the previous mission. Both she and Dr. Fraiser felt she was ready. She didn't tell you this?"

"No."

_I can't imagine why she chose not to…_ "Colonel…"

Jack abruptly turned on his heel. "You're sending a three person team into what could be enemy territory on shady information with no backup. For all we know, that place could be crawling with Jaffa."

"That's one of the reasons I chose SG-1 for the mission. The less people you send across enemy lines, the better chance they have at not being detected."

"And the harder it is to get home if things go wrong."

Hammond shook his head. "They're under strict orders not to engage the enemy unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Oh yeah – that line's always worked in the past."

"Jack…"

"General, it's a dangerous mission. Why can't we let the Tok'ra do their own dirty work on this one?"

"All of their operatives are currently out on assignment. Their fear is that with Apophis out of the picture, Heru'ur may attempt to absorb his territory and rise into power. They passed this intel onto us as a favor and as an offer of good faith."

"Good faith, my ass."

"Colonel!"

Jack lifted his chin and crossed his arms over his chest. The defiant position pulled at his injuries, but his current mood was preventing him from feeling much pain.

"I understand your concerns for your team, but until you are cleared by Dr. Fraiser for active duty, you're going to have to just trust my judgment on when and where they go," Hammond said, meeting the other man's cold glare with his own authoritative one. "I realize you want to go back to work, and believe me when I say I want you back out there too, but you're not ready yet, and I can't hold SG-1 back until you are. Now unless there's a specific reason you don't feel they're capable of completing this mission, they will be embarking tomorrow morning for P4R-332." He waited a moment to see if Jack would respond. "Well?"

"What?"

"Do you have a specific reason why SG-1 wouldn't be able to successfully complete this mission?"

"No, sir. I just don't like being left in the dark about the status of my team." Without waiting for dismissal, Jack stormed out of the office.

Hammond resisted the urge to jump up and chase after the man, knowing reprimand wasn't the best way to handle the situation. Ever since he'd put the mission together, he'd suspected something like this might happen, so the explosion he'd just witnessed hadn't entirely come as a surprise. Jack was angry, but he was also frustrated and scared. He wanted to be out there with his team, working, interacting, and keeping them from harm. If he couldn't be there to physically protect them, he wanted to do it the only other way he knew how: getting them pulled off the mission.

_And the enemy contact risk isn't really that high…_ he thought, recalling the details from the briefing that morning. _Even if Heru'ur does have an outpost on the planet, the Tok'ra seemed quite certain that he didn't know about the Stargate's presence. From the photos we got, it's practically become part of the forest it's sitting in. As long as SG-1 keep low and follow protocol, they should be able to slip in and out without ever being noticed…_

Hammond knew Jack would have seen all this in the report, but he suspected most of his reasoning would have shut off the instant he saw the mission's timeframe. He'd handled his team being gone for 12 hours with little fuss, but 72 hours and a higher risk factor clearly had made him uncomfortable.

The general sighed as he searched his desk for the document he'd been reading before the president called. Things would be so much easier if Jack would just say what was bothering him rather than harboring it inside until it reached its boiling point. And as much as he wanted to try and convince him otherwise, Hammond knew the stubborn man would likely never change. All he could do now was keep an open door, a watchful eye, and hope Jack could sort through his misgivings on his own.

_And if not, it's going to be a very long couple of days for everyone…_

* * *

><p>The strong aroma of freshly brewed French Roast had been reason enough for Janet to invest in the automatic coffee brewer for her office. On mornings like this when she was running behind, it was a godsend, promising an extra boost to help get her through an already harried day. Assuming the evening physician hadn't helped himself to a cup for the ride home, anyway.<p>

As Janet exchanged her civilian jacket for her work coat, she noticed her hands were spotted with glitter. The shiny flecks had fallen from Cassie's latest school project and covered the kitchen table, the mudroom floor, and the backseat of her car. Even the dog had managed to get glittered, his coat and nose glinting whenever it caught the light. She frowned and tried to wipe off as much as she could, knowing it wouldn't be very professional to be seen with sparkly skin. Although her daughter's poster of the Solar System had looked great, she decided it was the last time she'd allow her to use glitter unsupervised.

She fixed herself a cup of coffee and settled down at her desk to review the notes left by the evening staff. It had apparently been a quiet night as there wasn't much to read. She was about halfway through the reports when the phone beside her began to ring.

"Hello? Becky, hi. Yes, I just got in – I had to take Cassie to school this morning. How was your weekend?" Lieutenant Becky Ports was one of the SGC's on call physiotherapists, splitting her time between the base and the Academy Hospital. She was young and still fairly new to the profession, but her determined, no nonsense attitude made her a perfect match for working with Jack O'Neill. "Really? That is strange. Did he say what happened? Okay. All right. I should probably take a look at him then. I'll see if I can catch him before he gets too far. Thanks for letting me know. Ah-huh, I will. Bye."

Janet hung up the phone and sighed. Apparently Jack had managed to do some damage to himself overnight and shown up to PT in significant pain. The lieutenant had excused him from his appointment when she discovered he could barely move and then called to express her concerns. Her paperwork and coffee forgotten, the doctor hurried out of her office to try and catch him before he left the infirmary level.

As luck would have it, he hadn't gotten far, and she managed to catch sight of him just as the elevator doors were sliding open. "Colonel! Wait! I need to speak to you."

"Can it wait?" Jack asked, not turning to look at her.

"No sir, it can't. I just got off the phone with Lieutenant Ports and…and she wasn't kidding. You are a mess." Although she thought she'd been prepared by what she'd been told, Janet was still taken aback by his haggard appearance. Sweating, pale, and slouching, Jack was clearly in pain. His right arm hung limply at his side, while his left wrapped protectively around his chest. She hadn't seen him looking this bad since the first time he tried to stand. "Colonel, what's wrong?"

"I'm fine," he replied unconvincingly. "It's just a bad day."

"Was it PT?"

"No. I might have done something to it last night."

"Come on," she said, taking him by his good arm. "I want to take a look at you." Just the fact that Jack allowed himself to be led into the infirmary without protest was enough to put the petite doctor on high alert. She guided him over to the bed furthest from the handful of other patients and motioned for him to sit down. She drew the privacy curtain around the bed and stood looking at him for a moment, wondering what could have possibly set him back this far. "So what happened last night?"

Jack tried to shrug, but wound up wincing instead. "I don't know. I woke up like this. I must have slept on it wrong or something."

Well versed in the art of deception, Janet recognized an excuse when she heard one. There was no way he could have slept for very long on his right side; the body's pain mechanisms just wouldn't allow it. She let it go for the time being, knowing the longer she kept him talking the better her chances were of getting the truth. "Can you take your shirt off for me, sir?"

Using only his left hand, Jack fumbled to undo the small buttons, his fingers lacking the practiced dexterity that his right hand would have. After several unsuccessful attempts, he finally allowed Janet to help.

"Lieutenant Ports said she excused you from PT today," the doctor said as she easily undid the buttons. "How come?"

"Would you believe for good behavior?"

Janet smiled. At least he was trying. "If it was anyone other than you, yes, I would." She cringed sympathetically as she helped him out of his shirt. "Ouch, sir," she uttered, looking at the swelling and redness that enveloped his shoulder and side. "You said you woke up with this?"

He nodded and looked away, unable to watch as she began to feel and manipulate the tender joint. The pain was bad but tolerable, at least until she reached the part of his chest that had been giving him the most trouble. As her exploring fingers pressed against his ribs, he cursed and nearly came off the bed.

"I'm sorry."

"S'okay, doc. I'm just a little sore there."

"Ya think?" she replied, using one of his own sayings. "You've got a good reason to be – there's a nasty bruise there. It doesn't feel like anything's broken, but I'd like to get an x-ray to be certain."

"It's not broken," he muttered with conviction.

"Are you sure you woke up like this, sir? You didn't lift something or fall or challenge someone to an arm wrestling match?" Even with her weak attempt at humor, he still wouldn't meet her gaze. He was definitely hiding something, but whether it was out of embarrassment or fear of reprimand she couldn't tell. Either way he wasn't himself. "I'm going to do a quick vitals check and then give you something for the pain," she said, not making it an option.

Jack sat silently as she took his blood pressure, pulse, and listened to his heart and lungs. His numbers were all elevated, but given his level of discomfort, she wasn't surprised. "Could I talk you into lying down?"

"I don't want to stay here."

"I'd like you to. Just for a little while. It's quiet and the only disturbance you'll get is from an occasional nurse poking her head in to make sure you haven't run off." When he still seemed reluctant, Janet deiced to make the decision easy for him. "I'll even help you off with your boots."

He pegged her with a defiant gaze, but her expectant look never changed. Knowing he'd likely lose any argument he tried to start, Jack relented and shifted his legs so she could access his feet.

Kneeling, she made quick work of removing his boots and setting them off to the side. "There. Make yourself comfortable, colonel. I'll be right back." Janet let herself out from behind the privacy curtain and headed for the drug cabinet. It troubled her to see Jack this way, especially since he was normally so full of energy and life. She knew part of it was the pain, but she also sensed there was something more. Something he wasn't readily willing to discuss.

_It could be frustration…_ she thought, selecting two vials from the shelf and checking the dosage. _He's essentially been on lockdown for almost four months. That's enough to try anyone's patience. I can't see him deliberately doing something that could set him back. Foolishly maybe, but not on purpose. It would be so much easier if his team were around to…his team…_

She recalled the conversation she'd had with Sam two days before when she'd come down to the infirmary for her pre-mission screening. They'd chatted about a number of things, but one topic in particular came back to her now: the colonel. Sam had shown him the report for SG-1's upcoming mission to P4R-332. He'd been fine until he discovered it was an overnight and that they'd be in what was believed to be enemy territory without backup.

Janet drew the first medication into a syringe and then the second. She'd initially written off his agitation as being overly protective and assured her friend he would be fine. _Although he's certainly not fine now…_ she thought with a frown. She didn't know for sure that Jack's new injury was related to his team's absence, but it was just too much of a coincidence for her to ignore.

The doctor sighed as she returned the drug vials to the cabinet and secured the lock. Again she wished he would just speak his mind. It was something he usually didn't have an issue with – what was so different now? Pausing to grab a couple of ice packs from the freezer, she headed back to her patient.

She found Jack beneath the covers with his left arm thrown over his face. It was his way of hiding; transporting himself mentally when he couldn't escape physically. For some reason, she was reminded of the day he'd first approached her about joining SG-1 on a mission off world. He'd been all jokes and laughs then, but not now. Now he just looked miserable.

Setting the items she'd been carrying on the small bedside table, the doctor pulled a pair of gloves from the box on the wall. "You okay, sir?"

He nodded, but made no attempt to remove the shroud.

Knowing he was sore, she carefully extended his right arm. "It's okay to worry about them, you know." She knew she was taking a risk by broaching such a sensitive topic so directly, but she was tired of beating around the proverbial bush. If he got mad and shut her out, so be it. At least he would know someone cared enough to try.

"Is it?"

"Of course. You're their leader. Even though you're here and they're out there, you still feel responsible for what happens to them," she replied, searching his arm for a suitable vein.

"How can I not?"

"If it's any consolation, General Hammond worries about every person on this base when they step through that gate. It's a burden of command. He wants the men and women of this base to be safe and come home unharmed, but it doesn't always happen that way. Even with the best training, weapons, and intelligence, things can still go wrong. You know that – you've seen it happen and dealt with the consequences first hand."

"Yeah, well, I prefer to be the one that causes the worrying, and not the worrier," he muttered.

Janet smiled. "Believe me, sir, you definitely cause your fair share of worry around here," she said, cleaning his skin with alcohol and popping the cap off the syringe. "So what's concerning you the most? Is it Sam being in charge?"

"Carter?" Jack sounded surprised. "No, not really. She knows what she's doing...for the most part. It's more the mission itself that's…" He tensed as the sharp point of the needle entered his skin. Within seconds, he began to feel tendrils of lethargy creeping into his consciousness. "What the hell did you give me?"

"It's a pain reliever with a healthy dose of muscle relaxant," she said, hearing the displeasure in his voice. "Some of your pain is coming from muscle spasms – the relaxants will help to minimize these."

Although he welcomed the fading pain, he despised the drowsiness that came with it. Sighing, Jack wearily scrubbed his hand across his face and stared up at the ceiling. As the drugs continued to work their way into his system, it became harder and harder to keep his mind clear and focused. Something cold touched his arm and he jumped, jarring his sore ribs.

"It's only ice, sir. Just relax."

He knew Janet was right beside him, but her voice seemed so far away. It was the medication, suspending him somewhere between awareness and oblivion. _Carter…_ he thought groggily. _Was she ready for this…? What if the snakes are there…will they be safe? What if they get caught…? I should be…_ "…out there with them…"

"What was that, sir?" the doctor asked, his words coming out in a tired mumble.

"SG-1…I should be out there with them."

"You will be soon."

"Should've been by now."

Janet finished arranging the ice bags and drew the blankets up over him. By the glassy look in his eyes, she could tell the medication was working and it wouldn't be long before he was asleep. "What's bothering you, colonel?" she asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed. She normally wasn't comfortable with the idea of questioning a drugged patient, but she needed to find out what was causing him so much distress.

"This is Carter's first command that could result in a firefight. Hammond wouldn't send backup."

"Why not?"

"Standard procedure. The less people you send into enemy territory, the better their chances are of not being detected."

"Well that sounds about right. You've been in that situation yourself in the past."

"And I also know how difficult it is to get out again when things go belly up."

"I thought you said Sam knew what she was doing?"

"She does – Daniel and Teal'c too. But I'm just…" Emotion played across his face, the drugs making it harder for him to conceal them.

"You can't protect them from everything, sir."

"I know, but by not being there…I can't even say I tried."

Janet reached out and took his hand. "You're always with them, Jack. Whether it's physically or through the lessons, techniques, and tactics you've imparted on them, you're always there. You learn from one other and carry the essence of each person with you wherever you go. And if you don't believe me, just look at Daniel. He was a failing scholar before he met you, and now he's on his way to becoming a skilled fighter with confidence and purpose."

"It's not the same as being there."

"It's close…"

"It's not close enough!" he exclaimed, clearly agitated.

"Colonel, you are getting better…"

"You call this better?" he demanded. "I should have been out there with them by now, not trapped in a goddamn hospital bed like some kind of invalid."

"In case you haven't noticed, sir," she began, her tone bordering on petulant. "You're not twenty-five years old anymore. You take longer to heal, and with injuries as severe as yours, you were lucky to have even survived the trip home, let alone recover as well as you are." She paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. This probably wasn't the best time to be having such a conversation, but there were some things that needed to be said.

"By all accounts, Jack, you should have died. No, you _did_ die – albeit for a few seconds…"

"It's not like I haven't been…"

"Don't even say it, colonel," she interrupted, not giving him the chance to undermine the seriousness of the conversation. "You know damn well this time would have been different. There would have been no alien intervention, no eleventh hour save – you would have been dead." She paused, giving her words a moment to sink in. "When you flat lined, all I could think about was how I was going to break the news to your team and then Cassie. Thankfully I never had to do either. You came back to us, only to nearly lose the fight again a few weeks later to pneumonia. We really thought we were going to lose you that time, but you surprised us all by coming through."

"Now I know you're frustrated and I know you want to be out there with your team, but these things take time. You've been through so much these past few months, and I wish I could say you were ready to go, but I can't. Not yet."

Jack sighed and pressed his hand wearily against his forehead. Frustration, confusion, and worry were all jostling for the forefront in his drug-clouded mind. He knew what she was saying was the truth – it was just so hard to swallow when it wasn't what he wanted to hear. "I'm sorry, Janet."

"You don't have anything to apologize for, sir."

"I've been a jerk – I've just had a lot on my mind ever since Carter and the others went back into the field. I think it all came to a head last night."

"What happened?"

"I had a dream."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," he replied without hesitation. "It was bad. Let's just leave it at that."

"Okay. You had a bad dream. What does that have to do with your shoulder and ribs being all swollen and sore?"

"I woke up fighting. I think I fell out of bed."

"So you hit the floor?"

He shook his head. "I landed on the night stand. I might have taken a swing at the lamp."

Now it was Janet's turn to sigh. He hadn't been lying when he said he'd woken up with his injuries. "I'm sorry you went through that, sir. It must have been frightening."

"It's not the first time I've had it happen. I'm just glad nobody got hurt."

"You did."

Jack gave a half shrug. "It's what I get for keeping stuff like this to myself," he muttered, his eyelids starting to grow heavy. "I've just got a lot of time on my hands right now and for me, that's not always a good thing."

The doctor couldn't have agreed more. A busy Jack was generally a happy Jack. Given too much idle time, his mind sometimes got the better of him. And with a past as turbulent as his, it was no wonder why the man chose to stay so active. Now with Cassie back in school and his team off world, he'd been pretty much left to his own devices. "Well, we'll see about finding you stuff to do, okay? Maybe the general and I can come up with something."

He nodded, his gaze distant. "It's just not knowing, you know? The day missions really didn't bother me, but this one…if the Tok'ra are right and there's really a snake there…"

"The general wouldn't have sent them if he didn't think they could handle it," she said. "Have confidence in them, sir, and in yourself. The worry may never go away completely, but it will get easier. And you know what else might help?"

"What?"

"Talking to someone you trust when something's bothering you. You're not alone in feeling this way and it's all right to ask for help getting through." He nodded and she squeezed his hand. "You're going to be all right, sir."

"You think so?"

"I know so." Offering him a warm smile, Janet stood up and adjusted his blankets. "Get some sleep, colonel. I think you'll feel a lot better after a nap."

"Thanks, doc – for everything."

"Anytime. I'll come back in a little while to check on you. Pleasant dreams, sir." She paused at the edge of the curtain for a moment, watching as Jack settled against the pillows and closed his eyes. He still wasn't himself, but he didn't seem to be as distressed as he'd been when she'd first seen him in the hall. Hoping their talk had at least eased the deepest of his worries, Janet quietly slipped away to allow him to rest.


	16. Chapter 16

Howdy folks. Well, this is it - the end. It's bitter sweet to think that after two years of writing and editing, it's finally over. I'm glad it's finished and posted, but at the same time, I feel like I'm saying goodbye to an old friend.

I want to thank those of you who've taken the time to read this piece, and especially those of your who took a moment to leave feedback. It means a lot to know people are reading and enjoying what I worked so hard to produce. Is this the end of my SG-1 writing "career"? I don't know. I want to say yes as the fandom has dwindled sharply over the years, but plot ideas have a weird way of sneaking up on your when you're not looking for them.

Once again, thanks for reading and enjoy the conclusion to "Only Time."

Bander

* * *

><p>"A dog? A cat? A hamster?"<p>

Standing up from her crouch, Cassie put her hands on her hips and gave Jack such a "get with it" look that it made her mother laugh. Seated on the couch next to Sam, Janet watched with amusement as her daughter tried her hardest to portray an idea to the colonel without using words. They were just starting the third round of Charades when the clues written on the playing cards began to get a little more vague and abstract. So far the scores were close, with Jack and Cassie in the lead, followed by a tie between herself and Sam and Daniel and Teal'c.

"Do I look like a hamster to you?" Cassie asked.

"Hey, hey, no talking," Janet scolded, only to have her daughter turn the annoyed look on her.

The young girl sighed dramatically. "Fine…" She consulted her clue card again before crouching down, tucking her hands into her armpits, and flapping her elbows up and down.

"A chicken? A goose?" Jack was seated comfortably in one of the large recliners Janet had in her den. At the last minute, the doctor had suggested her place for SG-1's team night, complete with homemade pizza. '_It's a celebration of sorts…'_ she'd said when she approached him with the idea. '_Cassie just got her first math test back – fractions no less – and she got an A on it…'_ Although he'd been sold at the idea of homemade pizza, Cassie's achievement made it impossible to say no. "A duck?"

Cassie jumped up and nodded vigorously.

"Okay, so it's a duck."

She shook her head.

"It's not a duck?"

She shrugged and held her thumb and index finger close together to indicate something small.

"A little duck? A duckling?"

The young girl nodded again, and then put her palms together and opened them like she was reading a book. Now Jack was stumped. _What do ducklings and books have to do with each other?_ Cassie crossed her arms in front of her and made a grumpy face. "A grumpy duckling? A mean duckling?" That's when the light bulb flickered on in his head. "An _Ugly Duckling?_" The timer went off – he'd literally called it out in the last second.

"Yes!" Cassie shouted, nearly flying across the living room to hug her uncle. "Yes! Yes! You got it!"

Her hugs jarred his still sore shoulder and ribs, but Jack was too taken by her enthusiasm to let it show. "See, I told you I could get it. I'm just a little slow." Cassie grinned widely up at him and plopped down on the floor by his feet. She'd been thrilled when her mother told her SG-1 was coming over for a pizza party, and even more delighted when Jack had shown up with a cake with "Congrats Cassie!" written across the top.

Sam consulted the score sheet. "All right, who's up next? Daniel? Teal'c?"

"I believe it is my turn to deliver the Charade," Teal'c replied, proceeding over to the TV where the clue cards were stacked.

Over the rim of her coffee mug, Janet stole a glance at the colonel. He seemed to holding up well even with all the excitement and bone jostling hugs from Cassie. Unbeknownst to him, this little gathering was also meant to help cheer him up after the difficulties he'd had while his team was away. Although his mood drastically improved upon their safe return – apparently the planet had shown signs of recent Goa'uld activity, but little of value had been left behind – he'd still remained quiet and more withdrawn than normal. With the help of his teammates, she'd planned this little get together to brighten his spirits and lead in to the surprise she had for him at the end of the evening. Cassie's perfect score on her math test had just added to fun of the event and provided her with a failsafe reason for getting Jack to come.

"I am ready to proceed, Major Carter," Teal'c declared once he had selected his clue card and studied it.

"All right, Teal'c," Sam said as she primed her stopwatch. "You have 90 seconds starting…now."

The Jaffa turned to face his partner and pointed a single large finger at himself.

"Um…umm you? Y-you mean you?" Daniel stammered as he slid to the edge of his seat. He'd never been good at Charades, and it didn't help to be paired with the most literal person in the room.

Teal'c shook his head and pointed at himself again.

"Okay – not you…how about me? Or I? Or I'm?" His friend nodded at this last one. "I'm! So it's I'm – what's next?"

Holding one hand flat, Teal'c made the motion of picking something up and bringing it to his mouth with the other.

"Eating, talking, drinking…"

The Jaffa nodded.

"Drinking? You're drinking? Drinking what? Water? Coffee? Juice? Does it matter…?"

He repeated the drinking gesture and motioned for Daniel to keep guessing.

"Umm…drinking…water, milk, tea…"

Teal'c nodded again.

"Tea! You're drinking tea!"

"Thirty seconds," Sam called, watching as the seconds ticked by.

"Okay – so you're drinking tea – what else?" Daniel watched as his friend brought his thumb and index finger together just as Cassie had done to imply something small. "You're drinking a little cup of tea? Teatime? A spot of tea? A side of tea? I don't…I don't understand…"

"Time!" Sam held up her watch so everyone could hear the alarm.

Daniel slumped back in his chair and frowned. "What was it?" he asked as Teal'c sat down beside him.

"The card read: 'I'm a Little Teapot.'"

Across the room, Jack nearly choked on the mouthful of coffee he'd just taken.

"How was I supposed to guess that from what you were doing?"

"I believe you would have gotten it, Daniel Jackson, had we been given more time."

"But this…" Daniel stood up and repeated the same gestures Teal'c had used. "This isn't 'I'm a Little Teapot.' If you had just done the dance to go with the rhyme, I would have gotten a lot sooner."

"Come on, Daniel, it's just a game," Sam said.

"I was unaware that such a rhyme and dance existed."

"What? You've never heard…? Look – it's like this."

Much to the surprise of everyone in the room, Daniel began to perform 'I'm a Little Teapot' with far more enthusiasm than a man his age should have. The song, the dance; he acted out each verse with the finesse and poise that would make any kindergarten teacher proud. At first the others could only stare, too deeply shocked to really react to their friend's behavior. It was Sam who broke their stunned silence, her muffled giggles escaping from behind the hand she had pressed over her mouth. Janet joined in next, followed by Jack and Cassie. By the time Daniel had finished, the entire room was filled with laughter. Even Teal'c looked amused.

"What? He said he didn't know it, so I thought…there's nothing wrong with…oh fine! Have a good laugh!" He folded his arms across his chest and stalked back to his seat. His annoyance making the situation funnier, the group began to laugh even harder.

"I was not aware the Tau'ri still openly practiced interpretive dance."

"It's not interpretive dance, Teal'c, it's a nursery rhyme for kids. They're meant to entertain, teach, or…"

"Humiliate."

"Jack! I don't need any help, thank you very much."

"Hey, after a stellar performance like that, how could I possibly make you look any worse?" Jack asked, still chuckling. "While you're at it, maybe you can teach him 'Patty Cake' and 'Ring Around the Rosy' too."

"'Ring Around the Rosy' has direct connections to the Bubonic Plague back during the…" Daniel's attempt to justify the well-known verse as historical fact was drowned out when their laughter was renewed. His face grew red with frustration and embarrassment until he finally realized how ridiculous he must have looked singing and dancing to a children's nursery rhyme. Feeling decidedly foolish, he began to laugh too.

Curious as to what all of the commotion was about, JJ came trotting into the den and cocked his head at the laughing humans. Feeling the excitement in the room, the dog began to bark and furiously wag his tail.

"Quiet, JJ!" Cassie commanded, only to wind up with a lap full of wiggling dog and a face full of wet tongue.

Chuckles, giggles, sniggers, and the occasional snort filled the room, as the teammates and friends laughed off the last four months of hardships. Eyes watered and stomach muscles ached, but no one cared; the laughter felt too good to stop for such minor inconveniences. They probably would have carried on for half the night had a yelp of pain not caused all eyes to fall on Jack. Leaning forward and holding his chest, all color had drained away from the man's face.

"Colonel?" Wiping the moisture from her cheeks, Janet was at his side in an instant.

"I'm okay," he gasped, short of breath from laughing and the sudden shock of pain. "It's just a twinge."

"Are you sure, sir?" Sam asked as she and the others gathered around his chair.

"Yeah – no problem. Just gimme a…ouch…"

"Teal'c, in the freezer there should be a couple of ice packs on the door. Can you get me one, please?"

"As you wish, Doctor Fraiser."

"What's wrong, Jack?" Cassie asked, her eyes wide with concern.

"Just a sore muscle, Cass. Nothing to worry about, okay?"

"Is it your ribs, sir?" Janet asked.

"Yeah…it's getting better though."

She tugged up the bottom of his shirt and gently felt around the ribs he had badly bruised falling out of bed about a week before. While the vivid coloring had started to fade, the muscles and bones beneath remained sore. Feeling the tight knot of a spasm, she lowered his shirt and turned to whisper something in Daniel's ear.

"Yeah – out in the car. You want me to grab them?"

"Please." Teal'c returned with the ice a moment later and she placed it against the hurting man's side. "There – that should help a little."

"Thanks." Jack closed his eyes and rested his head back against the chair, trying not to let the pain of another muscle spasm show on his face. He'd been dealing with them periodically since he'd bruised his rib cage, but their sudden onset always caught him off guard. He listened to the hushed conversations of his friends as he waited for his body to calm down, taking comfort in their voices and presence. He could tell they were concerned about him by the way they hovered; even Cassie's dog remained at his feet, an occasional sympathetic whine rising up from the floor.

Although he hadn't done it on purpose, he felt bad for bringing their evening if fun to an abrupt halt. He'd known his ribs were sore and that uncontrollable laughter probably wasn't the best thing for them. If he'd been smart and planned ahead, he could have taped them up before leaving the base and potentially avoided the entire situation.

"Colonel?"

Jack opened his eyes to find Janet standing beside him. In one hand she held a pill bottle, in the other were two small blue tablets.

"Sam's gone to get you some water. I want you take these – they'll help with the spasms and pain."

"I'm not taking two," he said, not keen on taking any at all. "They drug me out too much. The last thing I need is to be seen staggering into the base."

"What about being seen staggering into your own house?"

"It wouldn't be the first time the neighbors have seen that, but…" Jack thought for a moment, replaying what she'd just said in his mind. "W-what did you…do you mean – my house?"

"You want to go home, don't you, Jack?" Daniel asked.

"Ah yeah, but…I didn't think I was ready." Sam appeared with a glass of water, which he took without argument.

"Well I've been doing something thinking and had a couple of conversations with Lieutenant Ports and decided that it's probably time to let you go home and finish your recovery there," Janet replied. "If it's something you think you're ready to do, that is."

"Hell yeah!" Had his body allowed it, Jack felt he would have jumped up and hugged her – hugged them all.

"I thought you might feel that way about it," she said with a smile. "Now there will be some ground rules like no alcohol, heavy lifting, or driving for a few more weeks, but as you get used to being home we'll slowly start to reintroduce those things. Someone will be by everyday to make sure you're doing all right, and four times a week you'll need to report back to the base for PT. Either myself, someone from your team, or another person from the base can drive you. I also need you to promise me that you'll continue to take your medication as prescribed and to eat properly – take out seven days a week isn't going to be an option."

Although he disliked some of the restrictions, Jack wasn't about to put up a fuss. He was going home, and not just to visit. He could sleep in his own bed, watch TV in peace, and cook his own meals, all without being under the constant scrutiny of a babysitter. "You bet, doc. Give me your list of rules and I'll follow them right to the letter…to the _punctuation!_"

The doctor smiled. She suspected Jack would promise her the stars if it meant he got to go home. He was bound to mess up a couple of times, that's just who he was, but she knew for the most part he would behave and do as he was told. He'd come a long way since she'd first found him bleeding and unconscious at the base of the alien mountain. Now the time had come to let him progress even further.

She held out the pills again and this time he took them. Giving the tablets a reproachful look, he tossed them in his mouth and swallowed them with the water. "Now what?"

"We finish our game and then, assuming the meds are working by the time we're through, your team can give you a ride home. Sound like a plan?"

"Sounds like a good plan. Except no more nursery rhymes for Daniel – I don't think my ribs can take anymore laughing."

"I don't think my ears can take anymore of his singing."

"Are nursery rhymes always preformed in such an off key manner?"

The archeologist rolled his eyes. "Very funny, you guys. I'd like to see you all try it."

"We wouldn't want to show you up, Daniel."

Jack's eyebrows rose. Sam wasn't usually quick with the comebacks, but when she came up with one, they were quite good. The others continued to bicker playfully as they took their seats to resume the game, but Jack turned his attention to Cassie. The young girl was seated on the floor next to his feet, distractedly picking at her dog's short coat. He reached out and ruffled her long hair with his hand. "Hey."

Cassie turned and looked up at him, her expression shadowed with concern.

"You okay?"

"Yeah – are you?"

"Yep. Your mom fixed me right up. I'm sorry I scared you, kiddo. It's hard being hurt. Sometimes I forget and try to do something I'm not ready for yet."

"Like laughing?"

"Oh, I can laugh – I just need to stay away from the uncontrolled kind for a while longer," he said with a wink. "Now come on. What do you say you and me finish beating the pants off these guys?"

Cassie's face instantly brightened. "Yeah!"

Chuckling, Jack shifted around until he found a comfortable position in the chair. His ribs still ached, but he could already feel the medication starting to work. It would eventually make him drowsy, however he was determined to last until the end of the game and maybe even claim victory. _The perfect ending to the perfect night…_ He smiled and settled back into the chair's plush cushioning, ready to enjoy watching his friends as they made complete fools out of themselves.

* * *

><p>"Colonel Jack! Come look at this!"<p>

"No! Come see this first!"

"The moon! It's so bright!"

"Jupiter – I can see its moons!"

"Students, please! The colonel will be around to see each of you in turn!" Mrs. Baxter called in her most authoritative voice. "Now remember your assignment – I want you to identify and sketch as many different constellations and celestial bodies as you can. We'll be sharing them as a class on Monday."

Several groans erupted from the gathering of science students, but in the near dark it was impossible to tell which ones. Any complaints about schoolwork were quickly silenced however, when a ball of light went shooting across the sky.

"A meteoroid!" One of the kids cried.

"Uh-uh! It's a _meteor_, right Colonel Jack?" Countered another.

"Yep – meteoroids become meteors when they enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up," he replied, impressed by the knowledge many of the students possessed. Dressed in a heavy jacket and gloves, Jack watched as the kids of Cassie's science class scampered around the school's athletic field to peer through the various telescopes and binoculars that were set up for them to use. They couldn't have asked for a better October night, with cool temperatures, clear skies, and a waning crescent moon. The stars and planets shone brightly overhead, providing the kids with a splendid view of the cosmos.

"I wish I could have done this when I was their age," Sam remarked as she joined him. "I loved to stargaze as a kid."

"Carter, at their age, you probably had half a rocket built in your basement."

She smiled in the dark. "If only. My father wouldn't let me build anything larger than model rockets. Even those were dangerous when I started to experiment with different sources of power."

"Almost blow up the house, did you?"

"No – but I dented the roof of our neighbor's car once."

Jack chuckled. "Yeah, I can see that happening."

"No. No. No pushing – there's more than enough time for everyone to see everything."

They both turned to look when Daniel's frazzled voice came from over by the baseball diamond. He and Teal'c were surrounded by at least a dozen kids, all jostling for position around the telescope.

"Do not come any closer," Teal'c commanded, putting himself between his friend and the disorderly children. "If you do not discontinue this juvenile behavior at once, I will be forced to remove the viewing device from the premises."

"What?"

"Huh?"

"What did he say?"

Confused comments buzzed through the small crowd of teens, but the large man's message seemed to get through. Forming a sloppy line behind home plate, they settled down to wait their turn.

"And you didn't think Daniel and Teal'c would enjoy themselves," Jack said. "Look at them: they're having a ball."

"I think the kids are too," Janet added as she met up with her friends, a cardboard cup carrier in her hands. "Anyone up for some hot chocolate?" Both Jack and Sam helped themselves to a cup full of the sweet, steaming liquid. "I just spoke with some of the other parents that are chaperoning, and they said they've never seen their kids so enthusiastic about science before."

"Jack!" Daniel called up from the playing field. "How do you change the lens on this thing?"

"Can't take him anywhere…" Jack muttered as he excused himself from the women and went to bail out his friend.

"It's definitely a good way to expose them to the more practical side of science," Sam said, watching as the kids clamored for his attention as walked down to the field. "It's way better than any textbook or movie. Did Cassie's teacher say where she came up with the idea?"

"It was sort of borne out of the discussion she and I had during last month's parent/teacher conference," Janet explained. "When I learned she was looking for new ways to excite her students about the study of space, I mentioned that I worked with someone that was a bit of an astronomy buff. We got to talking and she asked if this person would be interested in pointing out a few items of interest to the kids if she could arrange to have some equipment brought down from the high school. So I talked to the colonel, convinced him to come along, and everything else fell into place."

"The kids certainly like him."

"It's not surprising. Take away his gun, uniform, and snarky attitude, and he's really just a big kid. I'm still amazed at the work he did with Cassie over the summer..."

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

Having finished with showing Daniel and Teal'c how to change out the lenses on one of the smaller telescopes, Jack wandered over to a larger model that was sitting by itself in the middle of the field. It was a nice piece of equipment: shiny, new, and solidly built. He recognized the design from one of his astronomy magazines as a Dobsonian Reflector. This particular model was a twelve-inch Zhumell, one of the better Dobsonian-style scopes.

He reached out and put his hand on the long optical tube. Even through his leather gloves he could feel the coldness of the metal, its curved armature protecting the network of mirrors housed inside. At full height, the large lens nearly reached his shoulders, and he imagined it had to weigh at least sixty pounds. It was a beast of a telescope, but to tame it would result in some breathtaking views.

Leaning forward to look into the eyepiece, Jack's hand blindly found the controls and began to search the sky for an object of interest.

"Nice, isn't it?" A voice said from behind him.

Jack jumped and wheeled around to find Cassie's science teacher, Mrs. Baxter walking in from midfield. "Ah – yeah, yeah, it's great," he stammered, hoping she hadn't seen him spook. "It's good to know that the school's using our tax money for things other than sports."

Baxter chuckled. "Unfortunately this one doesn't belong to the school," she replied. "It belongs to one of the adults here tonight."

"Oh…well, it's still a nice piece of equipment. I was just trying to find Jupiter. I'm sure the kids would like to see its Great Red Spot – assuming it's up that is."

"Once they're finished with the hot chocolate and cookies one of the parents brought, I'm sure they'll be all over you, full of questions." She smiled up at him in the dark. "I can't thank you enough for doing this tonight. The kids are having a blast and I dare say they might be learning something too."

"Well don't let that little bit of information get out, or they'll never look into another telescope again," he said jokingly. "And you're more than welcome for the help. I'm just an amateur astronomer myself, but if I can pass on what limited knowledge I have to someone else, great." He turned back to the giant scope and began to fiddle with the controls. "If you want I can let you take a look at Jupiter before the kids get here…"

"That would be lovely."

Orienting himself with the stars overhead, Jack carefully guided the telescope into position to best see one of his favorite planets. He'd never used such a large model before, but the controls felt right in his hand. Suddenly, the Solar System's largest planet came into view. No longer just a bright speck in the center of the lens, he could clearly see the gas giant's colored striations and its famous Great Red Spot. Even with all he'd seen in his travels through the gate, its beauty still managed to take his breath away. "There it is. I can't believe how clear it looks. Whose telescope is this? Maybe I know them – or _should_ know them."

"It's yours, Colonel."

Jack looked up from the lens to expecting to find Mrs. Baxter, but finding his team, Janet, and Cassie instead.

"What?"

"It's yours," Janet repeated.

"This?" He looked down at the large black tube balanced precisely on its swiveling stand.

"Come on, Jack, this is no time to play dumb," Daniel said, his glasses reflecting in the weak moonlight.

"But I…I don't…"

Cassie walked over to her uncle and wrapped her arms around his waist. "We got it for you," she said, hugging him for all she was worth. "As a thank you present for helping me out."

"And get well gift," Sam added.

"You have earned it, O'Neill," Teal'c said. "We did much research to find the model that would bring you the most enjoyment."

"We hope you like it, Jack," Daniel agreed.

Jack didn't know whether to jump around with excitement or sit down and cry. He'd never asked or expected payment for his work with Cassie, especially since her success was more than he could have ever hoped to receive. "I…I…do. Yes. I love it…but there's no way I can accept something like this. I mean…"

"Yes, sir, you can," Janet replied, coming over and putting her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "You did something for Cassie that I couldn't have done myself. I knew you'd never let me pay you, so your team and I got together and decided that this would be an appropriate reward."

"We all chipped in, sir," Sam said. "You've been through a lot, and while this certainly doesn't make up for what happened, we hope it brings you some enjoyment."

"I…yeah, definitely," Jack uttered, unable to take his eyes off the large scope. He finally turned to look at his friends. "Thank you – all of you. This, and everything you've done for me while I was…" He stopped and sighed. "It really means a lot."

"You're worth it, colonel," Janet said, stepping over and giving him a hug. The rest of his team followed, pausing to embrace their leader and murmur their own words of appreciation and support. Jack found the attention overwhelming at first, but he quickly relaxed and enjoyed spending an intimate moment with his friends.

"So now that you know this thing is yours, are you still going to let thirty sugar-fueled thirteen year olds come near it?" Daniel asked.

Jack looked at his shiny new toy and then to the group of teens mingling by the back of the school. He could hear them laughing and shouting, their energy renewed thanks to a sugary snack. He gave a sharp whistle. "Hey!" he shouted, instantly getting kids attention. "If any of you space monkeys want to see Jupiter, you'd better haul Uranus over here pronto!"

As a whooping cry of laughter rose from the crowd of teens, Jack turned back to his friends and offered them a lopsided grin. "Think that got their attention?"

Chuckling, Sam leaned over to Janet. "What was that you said about him just being a big kid again?"

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

It was nearly 11 o'clock by the time the last student left for the night. Mrs. Baxter had thanked Jack and the others profusely as they helped carry the borrowed equipment back into the school. The stargazing tutorial had been huge success and earned the approval of both the students and their parents. Now all that remained was the delicate task of moving Jack's new telescope from the middle of the ball field to one of the awaiting cars.

"So how much does this thing weigh?" Jack asked, carefully screwing the lens cap into place over the eyepiece.

"Approximately eighty pounds," Teal'c replied.

Sam slowly walked around the large piece of equipment and shook her head. "There's no way this is going to fit into my car. Especially if I'm giving you a ride home too, sir."

"Well it's not going to fit in mine either," Daniel said. "It took Teal'c and I two trips just to get it out here."

"Perhaps we should disassemble it and divide it between the two vehicles," Teal'c suggested.

"That might be the easiest way. Teal'c and I could take the optical tube in my car, and Sam could take the base in hers. One of us would just have to tie Jack to the roof."

Jack shot the other man an irritated look. "Funny."

"I can give you a lift home, sir," Janet volunteered.

"It's getting kinda late, doc. What about Cassie?"

"She's been abducted by one of her friends, so my curfew just got extended by a few hours," she replied. "It's up to you. I'm headed in that direction anyway."

Jack shrugged. "It works for me. You guys okay with it?"

Murmurs of agreement went through the group.

"Sure. We'll divide up the scope tonight and meet back at your place tomorrow to get it up on your roof," Daniel proposed.

"Sounds like a plan," Sam said. "Assuming you guys remember how to take it apart."

Daniel knelt beside the telescope's wide base and looked at the array of screws, wing nuts, and washers. "We got it together. How difficult can it be to take it apart?"

After working for nearly half an hour by flashlight, the group finally got the telescope's long optical tube separated from its base and loaded safely into the backseat of Daniel's car.

Jack cupped his hands to his mouth and blew into them in hopes of getting feeling back in his cold fingers. "So you'll take it easy, right? No holey dirt roads or taking railroad tracks at fifty?"

Daniel slid into the driver's seat and turned the key. His old station wagon's engine roared to life. "I'll be extra careful, Jack. If it survived my driving once, it can do it again."

"I'll take good care of the base too, colonel," Sam said as she tucked a small bag of assorted pieces into her pocket. "And all of the hardware that goes with it."

"I trust you will, Carter," he said, closing the door once she'd climbed behind the wheel of her sporty little car.

"I'll call you tomorrow to set up a time to get this thing put back together."

"Sounds good, Daniel. Have a good night, you guys. Drive safe."

Waving, Sam dropped her car into gear and sped off into the night with Daniel and Teal'c not far behind. Watching them go, Jack jammed his hands into his pockets and drew in a deep breath of the cold night air. Who knew that an alien, an astrophysicist, and an archeologist would make such loyal, dependable, and efficient teammates?

A car slowly pulled around from the parking lot and came to a stop in front of him. "You ready, sir?" Janet asked through her lowered window.

Taking one last look in the direction his friends had gone, Jack walked around to the passenger side of the car and climbed inside. Peeling off his gloves, he placed his hands against the panels along the dash, soaking in the warmth that was blowing gently through the vents.

"It was quite a night," she said, guiding the car out onto the nearly deserted street.

"You can say that again," he uttered, staring out into the darkness. "I hope the kids got something out of it."

"Oh they definitely did. Just listening to their conversations as I was walking around – there was talk of Cassiopeia, Pegasus, super novas, and comet trajectories. They were starting to sound like budding astronomers."

"Some of them could be. High school science class was where I first became interested in the stars." His hands warmed, Jack sat back in the plush seat and let his head rest against the window.

"You tired, sir?"

"A little. This is the latest I've been out in a long time," he said through a yawn. "But it's a good kind of tired. The kind you get after working hard and accomplishing something."

"It's amazing how much energy those kids have. I'd love to be like that again…wouldn't you?"

Jack thought about being thirteen again for a moment. "No," he said honestly. "I wouldn't."

The doctor chuckled. "Yeah, maybe you're right. Kids today are so different than when I was in school. To go through high school and college again, I don't think I…"

Half listening to what his friend was saying, Jack watched the passing nightscape through bleary eyes. The kids had definitely worn him out, but not in a bad way. Their pointed questions and thirst for knowledge had kept him going long after the feeling of fatigue had started to set in.

"…The first two years of med school were the hardest for me, but I was still trying to figure out what I wanted to do with…"

Warm, comfortable, and relaxed by Janet's familiar voice in the background, Jack allowed his drooping eyes shut, intent only on resting them for a minute…

)()()()()()()()()()()()(

"Colonel? Wake up, sir. You're home."

_Home?_ Jack thought as a quiet female voice gently roused him from the depths of sleep.

"Colonel?"

Reluctantly opening his eyes, it took Jack a minute to realize he was still in Janet's car. "Oh crap…" he uttered, using the seatbelt strapped across his chest to lever himself up in the seat. Yawning, he wearily scrubbed a hand across his face. "Sorry, doc. I didn't mean to fall asleep on you like that. You should have woken me up."

"And risk incurring the wrath of a cranky colonel? Never," she said with a grin. "It's all right, sir. You dropped out so hard and fast, I figured it was best just to let you sleep. You feeling okay?"

"Yeah, pretty good actually. Just a little tired." Looking out the windshield, he noticed they were parked in his driveway behind his truck. "Oh. We're…I'm home."

"Yep. Fraiser's Taxi at your service."

Jack smiled. "I appreciate it. If you hadn't offered, I would've had to squeeze in between Daniel and Teal'c, and that's just getting a little too cozy for my liking." He yawned again and unhitched his seatbelt. "You want to come in?"

"Sure, for a minute," she replied, wanting to make sure he at least got inside before falling asleep again. Releasing her seatbelt and opening the door, she followed him up the driveway and onto the front step. "Thanks again for coming tonight, sir. I know it ran a little late, but Mrs. Baxter was very impressed by your knowledge and your willingness to interact with the kids."

Jack plugged his key into the door and released the lock. "I had fun. It was a good group of kids and they all seemed enthusiastic learning about the stars." He pushed open the door and turned on the hall light. "Plus it was great seeing Daniel get swarmed by a group of teenagers…"

Janet laughed. "Well don't be surprised if she asks you to come back again next year. "

"I'll do it."

"Great – I'll let her know."

"So…can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea? Soda? I've got a bottle of Speyburn kicking around if you want something a little warmer…"

"No thanks, sir, I should really be going. I just wanted to thank you again for everything you've done for Cassie and me. You did an incredible job and more than exceeded my greatest hopes. I also know you helped Sam work through some of the issues she had surrounding the accident, and I wanted to thank you for that too."

He gave a modest shrug. "It was my pleasure to help Cassie. I was honored that you even asked me. Book learning has never been my strong point."

"I think it's a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for, colonel," Janet said, turning to leave.

"Um, hey, listen…I-I wanted to thank you too for the telescope – which is wow – and for everything else you've done for me. You…you saved my life that day and again when I got sick. I know I'm not always the easiest person to deal with – I even piss myself off sometimes – but I really appreciate you sticking around when most people wouldn't."

"You're welcome. And like I said back at the school, for all of your foibles and quirks, you're worth it." He suddenly grew very interested in a scuffmark on the floor, but she still caught a glimpse of the humbled look that crossed his face. She reached up and squeezed his arm. "You survived an injury that most people wouldn't. It just goes to show that being a stubborn pain in the ass is good for something."

Jack's eyebrows rose. "You just called me a pain in the ass." And then, after a moment's thought: "Again!"

Grinning, Janet opened the door and stepped out into the night. "Oh! And before I forget, Monday morning we're going to try something new."

"What's that?" he asked, following her out onto the stoop.

"After PT, I'm going to have you workout with Teal'c for a bit. If all goes well and you behave yourself…" she said giving him a pointed look. "…You might just be able to go back to work by this time next month."

Jack blinked. "Back to work? As in…?" He made a vague gesture toward the sky.

"Yes, sir," she replied, getting into her car and starting the engine. "As in that."

"Nice!"

"I thought you might like to hear that," she said with a chuckle. "Have a good night, colonel."

"G'night, doc!" Grinning like a fool, Jack watched as Janet backed her car down the driveway and into the street. He waited until her taillights were out of sight before he reached inside to turn off the porch lights for a final look at the stars. As beautiful and serene as the cosmos seemed from Earth, he knew of the threats that lay hidden in the darkest reaches of the galaxy. In just a few short weeks, he would once again rejoin the elite few who faced such dangers head on to help keep their little part of the Universe safe.

Smirking, Jack stepped back inside and closed the door on the night.

And for that he couldn't wait.

* * *

><p>The End.<p> 


End file.
